The model shown represents a molecule called ammonia, with the chemical formula NH3.
Interpreting a Model and Identifying a Molecular Formula
To describe the model of ammonia, the terms compound and molecule can both be used.
Ammonia is a compound because it is composed of more than one element that are chemically combined. In this case, it is made up of nitrogen and hydrogen atoms.
It is also a molecule because it consists of a group of atoms bonded together, representing the smallest fundamental unit of a chemical compound that can take part in a chemical reaction.
The chemical formula for ammonia is NH3.
This indicates that each molecule of ammonia contains one nitrogen atom and three hydrogen atoms.
Ammonia is a covalent substance because the atoms within a molecule of ammonia are held together by covalent bonds where electrons are shared between the atoms.