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# What is the chemical formula for sand?

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In non-tropical countries, the major component of sand is silica, and so the chemical formula for sand is therefore SiO2. In silica, the ratio of the number of silicon atoms to the number of oxygen atoms is 1:2.

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In sand, this silica usually exists in the form of quartz. Quartz has a chemical formula of SiO2 and adopts a crystal structure where every silicon atom is attached to four oxygen atoms and every oxygen atom is attached to two silicon atoms. In some countries, sand is also made up of calcium carbonate. The chemical formula for calcium carbonate is CaCO3.

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## Related Questions

• A:

A material that can be represented by a chemical formula is either a mixture or a pure substance. Mixtures, or compounds, can be represented by a chemical formula to denote which atoms make up their composition. Pure substances, such as water, can also be represented by chemical formulas.

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• A:

The chemical formula for potassium hydroxide is K(OH). This compound is formed by one atom of potassium and one molecule of hydroxide, which is formed by one atom each of oxygen and hydrogen.

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The chemical formula for glucose is C6H12O6, with the numbers that follow each element represented in subscript for clarity. Glucose represents one example of a carbohydrate sugar used by the human body for energy.