ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Formula unit

A formula unit is like a recipe that tells you how to make a specific substance. Just like your mom has a recipe for chocolate chip cookies, scientists have formulas for things like water, salt, sugar, and even more complicated things like calcium carbonate or sodium chloride.

The formula unit tells you what elements and how many of each element are combined to make the substance. For example, the formula unit for water is H2O, which means there are two hydrogen atoms (the H's) and one oxygen atom (the O) combined to make the water molecule. This recipe is what makes water special and different from other substances.

So, if you want to understand what a substance is made of, you need to know its formula unit. It's like a secret code that shows you how to put the elements together to make that substance. Even though formula units can seem complicated, they're really just a way for scientists to understand what things are made of and how they work.