Chemical Formulas

[Sophia Dinh 1D]

When writing the empirical or molecular formula, does it matter which order the elements are in?

[Amina Durrani 3G]

I remember learning in HS that Carbon goes first, then Hydrogen, and then all other elements but in alphabetical order. Hope this helps (:

[Chanel D_4E]

I believe so. You would write H20 not OH2 because the element with the positive oxidation number comes first or before the element with the negative oxidation number.

[Hailey Kim 4G]

There is a certain order the elements should be in. One of the first things my HS chemistry teacher taught us was the "Hill System," which states that carbon atoms should go first, followed by hydrogen atoms, and then all other atoms would be in alphabetical order.