A chemical formula provides information about the composition of a single molecule, while a chemical equation shows the reaction between different substances and the formation of new products. The chemical equation for the styrene butadiene copolymer illustrates how two monomers, butadiene and styrene, combine to form the polymer
The difference between a chemical formula and a chemical equation lies in their purpose and representation. Let's use the example of the styrene butadiene copolymer to understand this difference.
1. Chemical Formula:
A chemical formula represents the types and numbers of atoms present in a molecule. In the case of styrene (C8H8) and butadiene (C4H6), their chemical formulas show the elements (carbon and hydrogen) and the ratios of atoms in each molecule. For example:
- Styrene: C8H8
- Butadiene: C4H6
2. Chemical Equation:
A chemical equation represents a chemical reaction, showing the reactants on the left side and the products on the right side. It provides information about the substances involved and their quantities. The styrene butadiene copolymer can be represented by the chemical equation as follows:
Butadiene (C4H6) + Styrene (C8H8) → Styrene Butadiene Copolymer (C12H12)n
This equation shows that the reactants, butadiene and styrene, combine to form the product, styrene butadiene copolymer, represented by (C12H12)n. The "n" in the equation represents a variable, indicating that the polymer can have a variable number of repeating units, making it a polymer with a range of molecular weights.