Structural Formula

Structural Formula Definition

Imagine trying to assemble a piece of flat-pack furniture without the instruction manual. Just like how each piece of furniture needs to fit together in a specific way to form the final product, a structural formula provides a "manual" for how atoms are arranged and bonded to form a molecule. In this analogy, the individual parts of the furniture represent the atoms, the way they connect represents the bonds, and the finished furniture piece represents the entire molecule, all laid out clearly in the structural formula to ensure everything fits perfectly together.

Practice Version

Structural Formula Definition

Structural Formula: A diagram of the number, bonds and arrangement of the atoms in a molecule. Structural formula. A structural formula shows how atoms are connected and arranged in a molecule.