Practice question · Match the pairs
One substance, four lenses. Match each representation of ethanol to what it best reveals.
- Molecular formula C₂H₆O
- Structural formula CH₃–CH₂–OH
- Ball-and-stick model
- C₂H₆O vs. its isomer CH₃–O–CH₃
- Which atoms bond to which
- Same formula, different connectivity
- 3D geometry and bond angles
- Atom counts only, composition
Hints
- Each representation deliberately discards information to highlight something else.
- Ethanol (a drinkable liquid) and dimethyl ether (a gas) share C₂H₆O, formulas alone cannot tell them apart.
Show the answer
- Molecular formula C₂H₆O → Atom counts only, composition
- Structural formula CH₃–CH₂–OH → Which atoms bond to which
- Ball-and-stick model → 3D geometry and bond angles
- C₂H₆O vs. its isomer CH₃–O–CH₃ → Same formula, different connectivity
Why
Chemical representations trade detail for clarity: formulas count, structures connect, models shape. Isomers prove the stakes, identical formulas, different connectivity, wildly different substances.
Practise Representations from particles to formulas
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