Chemical formulas primarily represent compounds. A chemical formula provides information about the types and ratios of atoms present in a substance. For example, \(H_2O\) indicates that a water molecule consists of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom, thus representing a compound.
While mixtures do consist of different substances combined together, they do not have a specific chemical formula like compounds do. Mixtures can contain multiple compounds and elements in any ratio, and their components can often be separated by physical means. Therefore, while chemical formulas do not typically represent mixtures, they are used to describe the individual compounds that can be present within a mixture.
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