molecular formula

This term is a technical specification used in chemistry to describe the actual number of atoms of each element in a molecule. It differs from an empirical formula, which only provides the simplest whole-number ratio of those atoms. For example, while the empirical formula for glucose is CH2O, its molecular formula is C6H12O6.

In academic and professional scientific writing, the term is used with high precision. It is almost exclusively found in the context of stoichiometry, organic chemistry, and molecular biology to define the identity of a specific chemical compound.