Final answer:
Chemical formulas such as H2O represent compounds by displaying the elements involved and the number of each atom present in a molecule; they do not depict the molecules in an atom or the 3D shape of the molecule.
Step-by-step explanation:
Chemical formulas represent compounds by indicating the elements that make up the compound and the number of each type of atom within it. For instance, H2O reflects that water is composed of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. The chemical formula does not show the 3D shape or provide information about molecule types in an atom.
Correct statements about how chemical formulas represent compounds are:
- They show the elements that make up a compound.
- They show the types of atoms that make up a molecule.
- They show the number of each type of atom in a molecule.
Compounds are distinct in that their atoms are chemically bonded in definite proportions, often depicted in chemical formulas through subscripts (e.g., H2O and H2SO4).