Chapter 4, Problem 4.1YT

Interpreting Chemical Formulas

Determine the number of each type of atom in the following chemical formulas:

${\text{CCl}}_{\text{4}}$

${\text{Al}}_{\text{2}}{\left({\text{SO}}_{\text{4}}\right)}_{\text{3}}$

Interpretation Introduction

Interpretation:

The number of each type of atom present in the given chemical formulas is to be determined.

Concept Introduction:

A compound is represented by a chemical formula, which gives the information about the elements present in that compound and the relative number of atoms contained in that compound.

In a compound, the atoms are combined in a fixed proportion, and to represent those proportions, chemical formula is used.

Answer to Problem 4.1YT

Solution:

a) $1$ carbon atom and $4$ chlorine atoms.

b) $2$ aluminum, $3$ sulfur, and $12$ oxygen atoms.

Explanation of Solution

a) ${\text{CCl}}_4$

The subscript indicates the number of each type of atom. Carbon atom is denoted by “C” and chlorine atom is denoted by “Cl”.

Therefore, ${\text{CCl}}_4$ contains the following atoms:

$1$ C and $4$ Cl.

b) ${\text{Al}}_2{{\text{(SO}}_4\text{)}}_3$

When a group of atoms is shown within the parentheses and with the subscript outside the parentheses, then that subscript is used for the entire group of atoms. Therefore, ${\text{Al}}_2{{\text{(SO}}_4\text{)}}_3$ contains the following atoms:

$2$ aluminum, $3$ sulfur, and $12$ oxygen atoms.

Aluminum is denoted by “Al”, sulfur is denoted by “S”, and oxygen is denoted by “O”.