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molecular formula
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molecular formula

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A molecular formula is a chemical expression that indicates the total number of atoms of each element present in a single molecule of a substance. It provides the exact composition of a molecule, distinguishing it from an empirical formula, which shows only the simplest ratio of elements. For example, while both ethylene and propylene have the empirical formula CHā‚‚, their molecular formulas are Cā‚‚Hā‚„ and Cā‚ƒHā‚†, respectively, revealing the distinct number of atoms in each molecule. Molecules are the smallest units of a substance that retain its chemical properties and are formed when two or more atoms bond together. The molecular weight is determined by summing the atomic weights of all atoms in the molecular formula.12345

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