Final answer:
An anhydrous compound is one without any water molecules structurally integrated into it. Compounds are substances made from two or more elements combined in a fixed ratio, like water (H2O), and molecular compounds, such as CO2, exist as discrete molecules.
Step-by-step explanation:
A compound is anhydrous if it is structurally devoid of H2O or basically in its purest form. Anhydrous compounds do not contain water molecules bound within their crystal structure or molecular formation. In the context of inorganic compounds, which are either ionic or covalent compounds that consist primarily of elements other than carbon and hydrogen, the term anhydrous specifically denotes the absence of water. Some inorganic compounds, like sodium chloride (NaCl), can exist in both hydrated (containing water) and anhydrous forms.
Compounds are pure substances that consist of two or more elements combined in a fixed, whole-number ratio. This ratio is what gives a compound its unique properties, separate from the individual elements that comprise it. A familiar example is water (H2O), which is a molecular compound and not an organic compound because it does not contain both carbon and hydrogen.
Molecular compounds are distinct from ionic compounds in their form and the nature of their bonds. Examples include water (H2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2), where discrete molecules are present as opposed to the electrostatically attracted cations and anions in ionic compounds like sodium chloride (NaCl).