Final answer:
Changing a subscript in a chemical formula is not permitted because it alters the ratios of atoms in the molecule and the resulting chemical properties. Subscripts represent the number of atoms of each element in a compound, so changing them would lead to a different chemical substance entirely.
Step-by-step explanation:
Changing a subscript in a chemical formula is not permitted because it alters the ratios of atoms in the molecule and the resulting chemical properties. Changing a subscript in a chemical formula is not permitted because it alters the ratios of atoms in the molecule and the resulting chemical properties. Subscripts represent the number of atoms of each element in a compound, so changing them would lead to a different chemical substance entirely.
Subscripts represent the number of atoms of each element in a compound, so changing them would lead to a different chemical substance entirely. For example, water (H₂O) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) are chemically distinct substances because of the different subscripts. Hydrogen peroxide decomposes to water and oxygen gas when it reacts with platinum, but water does not undergo the same reaction.