Final answer:
A chemical symbol is a one- or two-letter designation for an element, while a chemical formula represents the composition of a compound, indicating the elements involved and their quantities.
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding Chemical Symbols and Formulas
A chemical symbol is an abbreviation used to indicate an element or an atom of an element. It is a one- or two-letter designation where the first letter is capitalized and, if present, the second letter is lowercase. For instance, 'Hg' stands for mercury, 'O' for oxygen, and 'Fe' for iron. These symbols can represent one atom of the element (microscopic domain) or a collection of many atoms of that element (macroscopic domain).
A chemical formula, on the other hand, is a concise way of providing information about the atoms that constitute a specific chemical compound. It uses chemical symbols to show each element and employs subscript numbers to illustrate the quantity of atoms of each element within the compound. This includes compounds such as molecular formulas and those composed of polyatomic ions. The arrangement of atoms is not depicted in molecular formulas, but the relative proportions of each element are clearly indicated.
Chemical symbols sometimes are derived from the Latin name of the element, like 'Na' for sodium, which comes from the Latin word 'natrium'. Similarly, the chemical formula gives us insight into the composition of a compound, showing the specific elements involved and their relative quantities.