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Chemistry Forums for Students => High School Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: Kartiky14 on July 01, 2012, 01:55:08 AM

Title: Molecular formula or Chemical formula??
Post by: Kartiky14 on July 01, 2012, 01:55:08 AM
Well the formula mass depends upon the chemical formula and the molecular mass depends upon the molecular formula(as in case of AlCl3). Whats the distinction between the molecular formula and the chemical formula.(Wikipedia joins both terms with an "OR").
Title: Re: Molecular formula or Chemical formula??
Post by: AWK on July 01, 2012, 02:10:22 AM
start from seeing of empirical formula in wikipedia
Title: Re: Molecular formula or Chemical formula??
Post by: juanrga on July 01, 2012, 07:06:22 AM
Quote from: Kartiky14 on July 01, 2012, 01:55:08 AM
Well the formula mass depends upon the chemical formula and the molecular mass depends upon the molecular formula(as in case of AlCl3). Whats the distinction between the molecular formula and the chemical formula.(Wikipedia joins both terms with an "OR").

Yes, Wikipedia uses "chemical formula" and "molecular formula" as synonyms, but IUPAC recommends the term molecular formula.
Title: Re: Molecular formula or Chemical formula??
Post by: juanrga on July 01, 2012, 07:08:57 AM
Quote from: AWK on July 01, 2012, 02:10:22 AM
start from seeing of empirical formula in wikipedia

I think that the poster is not asking for the difference between empirical formula and molecular formula.
Title: Re: Molecular formula or Chemical formula??
Post by: AWK on July 01, 2012, 07:41:41 AM
Quote
I think that the poster is not asking for the difference between empirical formula and molecular formula.
Posted on: Today at 13:06:22 Posted by: juanrga

from wikipedia - empirical formula
Quote
Empirical Formula gives the simplest ratio of the atoms in a molecule or a compound

 the molecular formula identifies the number of each type of atom in a molecule
Title: Re: Molecular formula or Chemical formula??
Post by: juanrga on July 02, 2012, 06:16:38 AM
Quote from: AWK on July 01, 2012, 07:41:41 AM
Quote
I think that the poster is not asking for the difference between empirical formula and molecular formula.
Posted on: Today at 13:06:22 Posted by: juanrga

from wikipedia - empirical formula
Quote
Empirical Formula gives the simplest ratio of the atoms in a molecule or a compound

 the molecular formula identifies the number of each type of atom in a molecule

Yes, but I still think that the OP is asking for the difference between chemical formula and molecular formula not for the difference between empirical formula and molecular formula.

According to the Wikipedia both are synonyms (in fact, molecular formula redirects to chemical formula). But I disagree and as noted above IUPAC prefers the term molecular formula.
Title: Re: Molecular formula or Chemical formula??
Post by: AWK on July 02, 2012, 06:46:34 AM
It cannot be compare since IUPAC does not use the term: chemical formula

http://old.iupac.org/reports/provisional/abstract04/RB-prs310804/Chap4-3.04.pdf
Title: Re: Molecular formula or Chemical formula??
Post by: juanrga on July 03, 2012, 06:44:52 PM
Quote from: AWK on July 02, 2012, 06:46:34 AM
It cannot be compare since IUPAC does not use the term: chemical formula

http://old.iupac.org/reports/provisional/abstract04/RB-prs310804/Chap4-3.04.pdf

Effectively, there is nothing to compare. As stated above, Wikipedia gives chemical formula as if it was synonym for molecular formula, but are not synonyms. As a consequence IUPAC only uses the term "molecular formula" and this is the term that I recommended to the OP.