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The document provides instructions on how to determine the empirical formula and molecular formula for a compound given its elemental composition percentages and molar mass. It defines empirical formula as the simplest whole number ratio of elements in a compound, which may not represent the actual molecular formula. It gives steps for calculating empirical formulas from elemental percentages and examples. It then explains that multiple compounds can have the same empirical formula but different molecular formulas depending on the actual number of each atom. It provides steps for determining the molecular formula using the empirical formula and molar mass.

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B12 Clifford Garcia
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49 views5 pages

Vovotech

The document provides instructions on how to determine the empirical formula and molecular formula for a compound given its elemental composition percentages and molar mass. It defines empirical formula as the simplest whole number ratio of elements in a compound, which may not represent the actual molecular formula. It gives steps for calculating empirical formulas from elemental percentages and examples. It then explains that multiple compounds can have the same empirical formula but different molecular formulas depending on the actual number of each atom. It provides steps for determining the molecular formula using the empirical formula and molar mass.

Uploaded by

B12 Clifford Garcia
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Empirical Formula

Once the identities of the elements and their percent composition in a new compound
have been determined, the data can be used to find the formula for the compound. First
you must determine the smallest whole number ratio of the moles of the elements in the
compound. This ratio is called the empirical formula. This formula may or may not be
the actual molecular formula.

Steps to solving empirical formula problems:

1.

2.

3.

4.

Example:
A sample of a compound containing sulfur and oxygen contains 59.95% O and
40.05% S. What is the empirical formula?

Determine the empirical formula for methyl acetate, which has the following
analysis: 48.64% C, 8.16% H, 43.20% O.

1
Practice
1. A blue solid is found to contain 36.84% nitrogen and 63.13% oxygen. What is the EF?

2. Determine the EF for a compound that contains 35.98% aluminum and 64.02% sulfur?

3. Propane is a hydrocarbon, a compound composed of only hydrogen and carbon. It is


81.82% carbon and 18.18% hydrogen. What is the empirical formula?

4. The chemical analysis of aspirin indicates that the molecule is 60.00% carbon, 4.44%
hydrogen and 35.56% oxygen. Determine the empirical formula for aspirin.

5. What is the EF for a compound containing 10.89% magnesium, 31.77% chlorine, and
57.34% oxygen?

2
Molecular Formula Worksheet

Two or more compounds with distinctly different properties can have the same percent
composition and empirical formula. An EF is just a ratio of one element to the others in
the compound, and not the actual number of atoms in a molecule. To determine the
actual formula, the chemist must go one step further and identify the molecular formula.
To determine the molecular formula, you must know the molar mass of the compound.

To solve these problems, follow the steps for empirical formulas. Then add these 2:

1.

2.

Example:

Acetylene (molar mass 26.04g/mol) and benzene (molar mass 78.12g/mol) both have
an empirical formula of CH. The mass of the empirical formula is 13.02g/mol. What
are the molecular formulas for acetylene and benzene?

Succinic acid is composed of 40.68%C, 5.08%H, and 54.24% O, and has a molar
mass of 118.1 g/mol. What are the empirical and molecular formulas?

3
Practice:

1. What is the molecular formula of each of the following?


Empirical Gram Formula
Formula Weight
a. CH2O 90 g/mol

b. C3H5O2 146 g/mol

2. Determine the molecular formula for each of these compounds.


a. 94.1% oxygen, 5.9% hydrogen. GFW = 34 grams

b. 40.0% carbon, 53.4% oxygen, 6.6% hydrogen. GFW = 120 g.

c. 54.5% carbon, 13.6% hydrogen, 31.8% nitrogen. GFW = 88g.

4
Molecular Formula Homework

1. Analysis of a chemical used in photographic developing fluid indicates a chemical


composition of 65.45% carbon, 5.45% hydrogen, and 29.09% oxygen. The molar mass is
found to be 110.0 g/mol. Determine the molecular formula.

2. A compound was found to contain 49.98 g carbon and 10.47 g hydrogen. The molar
mass of the compound is 58.12 g/mol. Determine the molecular formula.

3. A colorless liquid composed of 46.46% nitrogen and 53.32 % oxygen has a molar
mass of 60.01 g/mol. What is the molecular formula?

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