a chemical formula is a combination of elemental symbols and subscript numbers that is used to show the composition of a compound.

Depending of the type of compound that the formula represents, the information that it provides will vary slightly. Before we go about learning how to write chemical formulas, it is important that we clearly understand what valency is and the difference between molecular compounds and ionic compounds. Simran: The combining power of an element is known as valency. Valency can be used to find out how the atoms of an elements will combine with the atoms of another element to form chemical compound. Depending on whether the atom loses, gains or shares electrons, the valency may be positive or negative or neutral respectively. For eg: Valency of sodium is + 1, because it can lose one electron. It is represented as Na+. Valency of oxygen may be - 2 if it accepts 2 electrons i.e., O2-. Now lets discuss the difference between ionic and molecular compounds. Supriya: Ionic compounds are composed of charged ions that are held together by electrostatic forcesWhen dealing with ionic formulas it is very important to remember that the formula does not show how the compound actually exists in nature. . A special type of chemical formula, called an empirical formula, shows the composition of a molecule not as it actually exists, but in a simple whole number ratio. Sid: For example, the ionic formula for calcium chloride is CaCl2. Since calcium chloride is an ionic compound, this formula does not mean that there are actually two chlorine atoms floating around attached to one calcium atom. . Rather, the formula shows that a sample of calcium chloride contains twice as many chlorine atoms as calcium atoms. Remember that ionic compounds are not molecules, so the formula CaCl2 is said to represent one formula unit of calcium chloride. Simran:Molecular compounds are held together by covalent bonds, or shared pairs of electrons. Molecular formulas do show these molecules as they actually

exist as discrete units in nature. When we say that the molecular formula of water is H2O, we can see that the molecules of water are made up of three atoms, two hydrogen atoms are covalently bonded to each oxygen atom. Sid: The combining capacity of an element is known as valency. Valency are can be used to find out how the atoms of another element to form a chemical compound. There are some rules to which are necessary to follow while writing a chemical formula those are: The valencies or charges on the ion must balance. When a compound consists of a metal or non-metal, the name or the symbol of the metal is written first. For e.g. Calcium oxide is written as CaO and iron sulphide is written as Fes where oxygen and sulphur are nonmetals whereas calcium and copper are metals. In compounds formed with ploytamic ions, the ion is enclosed in a bracket before writing the number to indicate the ratio and it is not required when the polytamic ion is one. For e.g. NaOH.

Supriya: A chemical formula of a compound is shows its constituent elements and the numbers of atoms of each combining element.In ionic compounds, the charge on each ion is used to determine the chemical formula of the compound. The chemical formula of a molecular compound is determined by the valency of each element. Simran: The simplest compounds which are made of 2 different elements are called binary compounds.For e.g. Formula of magnesium chloride, In magnesium chloride, there are 2 chloride ions(Cl) for each magnesium (Mg+2). The positive and negative charges must be balance each other and the overall structure must be neutral. Sid: Well thats all from our group thnx for giving us ur precious time.