Question

chemical formula: a group of letters and subscript numbers that represent the make - up of a chemical compound. symbol for the element hydrogen. symbol for the element oxygen. h₂o. the small number here means 2 atoms of hydrogen. no small number here means 1 atom of oxygen. figure 2.9 the chemical formula for the compound water, h₂o, tells you that there are two atoms of hydrogen (h) for every one atom of oxygen (o). 1. a) what does the subscript in a chemical formula indicate? b) what does having no subscript mean? 2. for the compound ammonia, nh₃, how many nitrogen atoms are there, and how many hydrogen atoms are there in each molecule?

Explanation:

1a) In a chemical formula, the subscript indicates the number of atoms of the element it follows in one molecule of the compound.
1b) Having no subscript means there is 1 atom of that element in one molecule of the compound.

1. For ammonia ($NH_3$), the number of nitrogen atoms is 1 (since there is no subscript, implying 1) and the number of hydrogen atoms is 3 (as indicated by the subscript).

Answer:

1a) The subscript indicates the number of atoms of the element it follows in one - molecule of the compound.
1b) It means there is 1 atom of that element in one molecule of the compound.

1. 1 nitrogen atom, 3 hydrogen atoms.