Question

What is the chemical formula for hydrogen oxide?

Answer 1

A chemical formula is the representation of the atoms in their respective quantities which are present in a molecule. A chemical formula may be known as the molecular formula of the molecule. It shows the exact number of atoms present in that molecule.

Complete answer:
A chemical formula for any compound represents the quantities of atoms involved in a molecule. While writing the chemical formula for any molecule, the cation is named and written before the anion of that molecule. The cation is the ion that carries the positive charge, while anion carries the negative charge.
We have been given hydrogen oxide. This compound consists of hydrogen and oxygen as the atoms. The hydrogen ion is represented as, ${{H}^{+}}$, while the oxide ion is represented as, ${{O}^{2-}}$, hydrogen has a valence of positive of 1 while oxygen has a valence of negative of two 2. The chemical formulas of compounds are written in such a manner, as to compensate the valencies or charges present in the atoms of the element. For instance, one positive charge containing ions cannot form a compound with an element having a charge of negative two. Therefore, those positive ions are taken in a quantity of two, as to compensate the valence of the negative ions.
Here, hydrogen are taken 2 in number, as ${{H}^{+}}$has a charge of +1, while ${{O}^{2-}}$has a charge of -2, so to balance the charges, the chemical formula for hydrogen oxide will be,
Hydrogen oxide = ${{H}_{2}}O$
Hence, the chemical formula for hydrogen oxide is ${{H}_{2}}O$.

Note:
${{H}_{2}}O$ is a water molecule, which can also be called dihydrogen oxide. Water is a liquid, which consists of hydrogen bonding and is used as a solvent in a number of solutions. The negative charge of oxygen is due to its more electronegative character than hydrogen.