Final answer:
The number of puzzle pieces is equal to the number of atoms in the chemical formula, reflecting a direct relationship to the molecular composition but not the molecular weight or shared/transferred electrons.
Step-by-step explanation:
The relationship between the number of puzzle pieces in a bond and the chemical formula is that the number of puzzle pieces is equal to the number of atoms in the chemical formula. This corresponds to option (a). When discussing molecular formulas and the mole, we understand that one mole of a substance contains Avogadro's number of atoms or molecules. Hence, the chemical formula provides an actual count of each type of atom in one molecule, and therefore, in one mole of that substance. The molecular formula C6H12O6, for example, illustrates a molecule of glucose made from six carbon atoms, twelve hydrogen atoms, and six oxygen atoms. Each atom in this formula can represent a 'puzzle piece' in a molecular model. However, no direct relationship exists between the number of puzzle pieces and the molecular weight or the number of electrons shared or transferred in the bond.