HOLY ANGEL UNIVERSITY

Basic Education Department

#1 Holy Angel Avenue, Sto. Rosario, Angeles City

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Subject: GRADE 9 - SCIENCE Teacher: ___________________
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ACTIVITY TITLE: EMPIRICAL FORMULA OF A COMPOUND

LEARNING TARGETS: Determine the empirical formula of a binary compound from experimental data
INTRODUCTION:
The empirical formula of a compound expresses the simplest ratio of the elements in the
compound. For instance, the empirical formula of hydrogen peroxide (H 2O2) is HO. The empirical
formula of a compound can be determined experimentally by getting the ratio of the moles of the
elements present in the compound.
In this experiment, you will determine the empirical formula of a compound of copper by
decomposing it. If a sample of copper oxide is heated, oxygen will be driven off, leaving metallic
copper behind. If you know the mass of copper that remains after heating, you can determine both
the masses of the copper and oxygen present in your original sample. By calculating the number of
moles of copper and oxygen in the compound, you can find the empirical formula.
MATERIALS: copper oxide powder, test tube, alcohol lamp, beam balance, safety goggles, safety
mask, spatula
PROCEDURES:
CAUTION: The wearing of gas mask and safety goggles is required in this activity
for safety purposes.

1. Weigh the clean and dry test tube to the nearest 0.01 g on the balance.
2. Leave the test tube on the balance. Put copper oxide in the test tube. Check if the weight
increases by 0.5 to 0.6 g.
3. Hold the test tube horizontally using the test tube holder. Gently heat the bottom of the test
tube in the burner flame. Heat the test tube for about 10 minutes.
NOTE: Never point the mouth of the test tube at yourself or at anyone else.
Do not touch the test tube.

2ND PART- Empirical Formula of a Compound

4. Allow the test tube to cool to room temperature. Then reweigh it.
5. Reheat the test tube for 3 minutes. Cool and reweigh. If a change in the mass of the test
tube with the residue is no longer observed, calculate the mass of the copper and that of
the oxygen. The mass of the copper is the mass of the solid residue left after leaving
heating the oxide. The mass of oxygen is the difference between the mass of the oxide
and the mass of the residue. If additional loss in mass has occurred, reheat the test tube
with the residue. Repeat this procedure until no further mass loss is observed.
6. Calculate the moles of copper and oxygen in the oxide by dividing the mass of each by the
corresponding atomic mass. Thus,

mole Cu = mass Cu x mole Cu

----------
64 g Cu

mole O = mass O x mole O

---------
16 g O
 The simplest mole ratio of copper to oxygen is the empirical formula.
DATA:

TRIAL (mass in grams)

MATERIAL 1 2 Average
Mass of clean and dry test tube
Mass of test tube with copper oxide
Mass of test tube with residue after
heating
Mass of the copper oxide sample
Mass of copper
Mass of oxygen
Number of moles of copper
Number of moles of oxygen
Ratio of the moles of copper to the
moles of oxygen
Empirical Formula of the compound

COMPUTATION

QUESTION:

Why it was necessary to reheat the test tube after oxygen had been driven off?

GENERALIZATION: