What is the number of molecules

Question

What is number of molecules of

2CH_4?

Answer 1

Before I answer your question, we need to asses what a molecule is and what molecule you are working with. A molecule is a group of atoms held together by covalent bonds. An example of a molecule is CH₄. This is the molecular formula (or chemical formula) for a molecule with 1 C (Carbon) atom and 4 H (Hydrogen) atoms. You will know the number atoms in the molecule by looking at the subscripts written directly after each letter. Since no number was written after Carbon, we know there is 1 atom of Carbon in this molecule. Since a 4 was written after Hydrogen, we know there are 4 atoms of Hydrogen in this molecule.

Now let's get to your question. You have written 2CH₄. I have just explained how CH₄ is the molecule in question. There is one more number we have not discussed: the 2 written before CH₄. This number will always tell you how many of that molecule you have. So in this instance, you have 2 molecules of CH₄. If you had written 3CH₄, you would have 3 molecules of CH₄. if you had written 27CH₄, you would have 27 molecules of CH₄.

I hope that helps with reading chemical formulas! Please let me know if you need any further clarification.