Condensed structural formulas are a simplified way to represent the structure of a chemical compound. They show the arrangement of atoms and the connectivity between them without depicting every bond explicitly. In these formulas, atoms are listed in a sequence that reflects their connectivity, often using parentheses to indicate branching or groups of atoms. For example, the condensed formula for ethanol is written as C2H5OH, indicating that it contains two carbon atoms, six hydrogen atoms, and one oxygen atom. This format allows chemists to quickly understand the composition and structure of a molecule while saving space compared to full structural formulas.