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molecular formula

American

noun

Chemistry.

a chemical formula that indicates the kinds of atoms and the number of each kind in a molecule of a compound.

molecular formula British

noun

a chemical formula indicating the numbers and types of atoms in a molecule Compare empirical formula structural formula

H2SO4 is the molecular formula of sulphuric acid

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

molecular formula Scientific

A chemical formula that shows the total number and kinds of atoms in a molecule, but not their structural arrangement. For example, the molecular formula of aspirin is C ₉ H ₈ O ₄.
Compare empirical formula structural formula

Etymology

Origin of molecular formula

First recorded in 1900–05

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"It's capturing the actual molecular formula of space".

From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026

With a molecular formula of C17H24O7, the compound was found to feature a distinctive ribose moiety, identified as α-ribofuranoside through stereochemical analysis.

From Science Daily • Mar. 11, 2024

What is the molecular formula for the hydride?

From Textbooks • Feb. 14, 2019

Isomers are compounds with the same molecular formula but different arrangements of atoms.

From Textbooks • Feb. 14, 2019

That the volume relations may be correct a gaseous element must be given its molecular formula.

From An Elementary Study of Chemistry by McPherson, William

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023