Molecules of Compounds

There are millions of compounds in the universe.  Every compound has a unique chemical formula.  The formula tells us what elements make up the compound and the number of atoms of each element in each molecule of the substance.

Below are a few common compounds and information about each. There is a different combination of the elements hydrogen, carbon, oxygen, chlorine, and nitrogen in a molecule of each compound.  The same color is used for the same element in all the illustrations.

Carbon Dioxide
CO2

(used by plants to make carbohydrates)		 Ammonia
NH3

(used in fertilizer and cleaning products)
 Water
H2O

(essential to all forms of life)
 Ammonium Chloride
NH4Cl

(used in shampoo and cough medicine)		 Hydrazine
N2H4

(used in rocket fuel)
 
Acetylene
C2H2

(used in welding)
 		 Carbonic Acid
H2CO3

(found in rain water)		 Hydrochloric Acid
 HCl 

(found in our stomachs)
 		 Methane
CH4

(used as a fuel for heating and cooking)		 Hydrogen Peroxide
H2O2

(used in bleach and to cleanse wounds)
Propane
C3H8

(used for cooking with gas barbecues)		 Nitrous Oxide
N2O

(used in dentistry)
  		Hypochlorous Acid
 HOCl 

(used in bleach and deodorant)		 Nitric Acid
HNO3

(toxic poison and in acid rain)		 Ethanol
C2H5OH

(added to gasoline)

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