What is the purpose of a subscript in a chemical formula?

Answer 1

The subscript tells you how many atoms of a certain element are in the representative particle of that substance. For example, H2O means 2 hydrogens and 1 oxygen. (The absence of a subscript means there's just 1.) The subscript only applies to the element immediately before it, unless the subscript occurs outside a set of parentheses, in which case it applies to everything inside the parentheses.

Answer 2

It signifies the amount of atoms in a molecule of the atom before the subscript.

better explained by showing. H2O, water. This means 2 hydrogens and one oxygen.

H3PO4, There are 3 hydrogens, one phosphorus and 4 oxygens.

Answer 3

The subscript tells you how many atoms of a certain element are in the representative particle of that substance. For example, H2O means 2 hydrogens and 1 oxygen. (The absence of a subscript means there's just 1.) The subscript only applies to the element immediately before it, unless the subscript occurs outside a set of parentheses, in which case it applies to everything inside the parentheses.

Answer 4

Subscripts are used to indicate the ratio of atoms of each kind of element present.

Answer 5

To indicate the number of atoms of a given chemical element in a chemical formula.

Answer 6

Subscripts in a chemical formula indicate the number of atoms of an element present in a compound. They help balance the chemical equation by showing the ratio of elements in the compound.