What does the 3 in 3c2h3clo2 mean

In the chemical formula 3C2H3ClO2, the 3 indicates that there are three molecules of the compound represented by the formula C2H3ClO2. This means that if you were to have a total of three units of this particular compound, each unit consists of:

2 Carbon atoms (C)
3 Hydrogen atoms (H)
1 Chlorine atom (Cl)
2 Oxygen atoms (O)

Thus, the entire expression signifies that there are a total of:

3 × 2 = 6 Carbon atoms
3 × 3 = 9 Hydrogen atoms
3 × 1 = 3 Chlorine atoms
3 × 2 = 6 Oxygen atoms

Thus, the entire expression signifies that you have three times the number of each atom present in one molecule of C2H3ClO2. This is often used in stoichiometry to indicate the quantity of a substance in a chemical reaction or formula.

Understanding the meaning of 3 in 3c2h3clo2

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