What is the chemical symbol for water?

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Multiple Choice

What is the chemical symbol for water?

Explanation:
Chemical formulas encode what a substance is by showing which elements are present and how many atoms of each there are. Water is represented by the formula H2O, which means there are two hydrogen atoms for every one oxygen atom. The subscript 2 after the H indicates two hydrogens, and the O shows one oxygen. The other options name different substances—carbon dioxide, table salt, and molecular oxygen—so they don’t describe water. Thus, H2O is the correct symbol for water.

Chemical formulas encode what a substance is by showing which elements are present and how many atoms of each there are. Water is represented by the formula H2O, which means there are two hydrogen atoms for every one oxygen atom. The subscript 2 after the H indicates two hydrogens, and the O shows one oxygen. The other options name different substances—carbon dioxide, table salt, and molecular oxygen—so they don’t describe water. Thus, H2O is the correct symbol for water.

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