Question

explain what a compound is and how you can tell one by looking at a chemical formula.

Explanation:

A compound is a substance formed when two or more elements chemically bond together. In a chemical formula, if there are symbols of different elements (e.g., \(H_2O\) has \(H\) and \(O\)), it indicates a compound. Elements in a compound are present in a fixed ratio. For example, in \(CO_2\), there is one carbon (\(C\)) and two oxygen (\(O\)) atoms always.

Answer:

A compound is a substance made of two or more elements chemically combined. In a chemical formula, different element symbols (e.g., \(H_2O\) has \(H\) and \(O\)) show it's a compound as elements are in fixed ratios.