You probably already know the names of some molecules. Identify which compound (water, salt, carbon dioxide, or methane) corresponds to each of the following chemical formulas:



$H_2O$ is [ ]

$CO_2$ is [ ]

NaCl is [ ]

$CH_4$ is [ ]

Verified Answer :

  • \(H_2O\) corresponds to water.
  • \(CO_2\) corresponds to carbon dioxide.
  • \(NaCl\) corresponds to salt.
  • \(CH_4\) corresponds to methane.
  • Final mapping: \(\boxed{H_2O: \text{water}, CO_2: \text{carbon dioxide}, NaCl: \text{salt}, CH_4: \text{methane}}\).

Explanation

  1. Understanding the Problem and Data Analysis

We are provided with four chemical formulas: \(H_2O\), \(CO_2\), \(NaCl\), and \(CH_4\), and a list of corresponding compound names: water, salt, carbon dioxide, and methane. Our goal is to correctly match each chemical formula with its appropriate name. We will analyze each formula based on standard chemical knowledge to determine the correct correspondence.

  1. Identifying and Matching Compounds
  • The chemical formula \(H_2O\) represents water, as it consists of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom.
  • The chemical formula \(CO_2\) represents carbon dioxide, which consists of one carbon atom and two oxygen atoms.
  • The chemical formula \(NaCl\) represents sodium chloride, which is commonly referred to as salt.
  • The chemical formula \(CH_4\) represents methane, which consists of one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms.
  1. Conclusion and Summary of Mappings

Based on our analysis, we have successfully mapped each formula to its corresponding name:

  • \(H_2O\) is water.
  • \(CO_2\) is carbon dioxide.
  • \(NaCl\) is salt.
  • \(CH_4\) is methane.

Thus, the final mapping is confirmed.

Examples

Understanding chemical formulas is essential for many practical applications. For example, when reading food labels, identifying "salt" as \(NaCl\) helps you understand the sodium content. Similarly, recognizing \(CO_2\) as carbon dioxide is important when learning about environmental science and climate change. Being familiar with these basic formulas allows us to better understand the composition of the world around us.