Which of the following is the correct chemical formula for water?

• A. H2O2
• B. H2O
• C. HO2
• D. OH2

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand that a chemical formula represents the types and numbers of atoms in a molecule.
2. Step 2: Recall that water is composed of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom bonded together.
3. Step 3: Write the chemical formula by placing the symbol for hydrogen (H) followed by the number 2 to indicate two hydrogen atoms, and then the symbol for oxygen (O) without a subscript since there is only one oxygen atom.
4. Step 4: Verify that the formula matches the known molecular composition of water, which is \(H_2O\).
5. Step 5: Compare the given options and identify that \(H_2O\) correctly represents water, while \(H_2O_2\) is hydrogen peroxide, and \(HO_2\) and \(OH_2\) do not represent water.