Answer to Question #95027 in General Chemistry for Allison Stoetzel

Question

What is the best way to correctly use parentheses when entering chemistry equations into the calculator?

Answer 1

Parentheses are useless in a chemical formula if they don't have a subscript, so we'll assume one is always there. In such a formula, the subscript outside the parentheses means that to count atoms, you must multiply that subscript by the numbers of atoms inside.

Here is an example:

$Ca(OH)_2$

In this formula after applying parentheses we have to multiply subscript 2 with each atom present in parentheses.