Tags: empirical formulae
Categories: Comparisons
An example of a teaching analogy:
"The word empirical tells us that an empirical formula such as C₂H₆ is not supposed to be a structural diagram of the molecule. It's like a box of Legos. The empirical formula tells you how many Legos of each color there are, but it doesn't tell you what to build with them.
…An empirical formula such as C₂H₆ is not a structural diagram. Think of it as a list of ingredients. It doesn't tell you what to make with them."
John Denker, shared on a chemistry education email list.
Read examples of scientific analogies
Of itself, the reference to a list of ingredients can be seen as a distinct simile.
Read about examples of science similes
