Empirical & Molecular

FORMULAE

Combustion
A N A LY S I S
WORKED
EXAMPLES
 WORKED EXAMPLES

1. 1.50 g sample of hydrocarbon undergoes complete

combustion to produce 4.40 g of CO2 and 2.70 g of H2O.
What is the empirical formula of this compound?

1 Find the mass of C carbon from the mass of CO given

STEP 2

STEP2 Find the mass of H hydrogen from the mass of H O

2

STEP3 Use % Comp. Tabl e to determine the Empiric al Formul a

 1. 1.50 g sample of hydrocarbon undergoes complete
combustion to produce 4.40 g of CO2 and 2.70 g of H2O.
FOLLOW ALONG What is the empirical formula of this compound?

STEP 1 Find the mass of C carbon from the mass of CO2 given

44 g of CO2 contains 12 g of C
4.4 g of CO2 contains 4.4 x 12
44
= 1.2 g of C
 1. 1.50 g sample of hydrocarbon undergoes complete
combustion to produce 4.40 g of CO2 and 2.70 g of H2O.
FOLLOW ALONG! What is the empirical formula of this compound?

STEP 2 Find the mass of H hydrogen from the mass of H2O given

18 g of H2O contains 2g of H
2.70 g of H2O contains 2.70 x 2
18
= 0.3 g of H
WORKED EXAMPLE

STEP 3 Use the % Comp. Table to determine the Empirical Formula

C H
Mass 1.2 0.3
Molar Mass 12 1
Moles 1.2/12 = 0.1 0.3/1 = 0.3
Mole Ratio 0.1/0.1 = 1 0.3/0.1 = 3
Empirical Formula The Mole Ratio is 1:3 so the EF is CH3
QUESTION 2
 x 2. A 0.250 g sample of hydrocarbon undergoes
complete combustion to produce 0.845 g of CO2 and
WORKED EXAMPLE 0.173 g of H2O. What is the empirical formula of this

1
compound?

STEP Find the mass of C carbon form the mass of CO2 given

44 g of CO2 contains 12 g of C
0.845 g of CO2 contains 0.845 x 12
44
= 0.23 g of C
 2. A 0.250 g sample of hydrocarbon undergoes complete
combustion to produce 0.845 g of CO2 and 0.173 g of H2O.
WORKED EXAMPLE What is the empirical formula of this compound?

STEP 2 Find the from the

18 g of H2O contains 2g of H
0.173 g of H2O contains 0.173 x 2
18
= 0.019 g of H
 2. A 0.250 g sample of hydrocarbon undergoes
complete combustion to produce 0.845 g of CO2 and
WORKED EXAMPLE 0.173 g of H2O. What is the empirical formula of this

3
compound?

STEP Use the % Comp. Table to determine the Empirical Formula

C H
Mass 0.23 0.019
Molar Mass 12 1
Moles 0..23 /12 = 0.019 0..019 /1 = 0.019
Mole Ratio 0.019/0.019 = 1 0.019/0.019 = 1
Empirical Formula The Mole Ratio is 1:1 so the EF is CH
QUESTION 3
 QUESTION 3
a) A 0.2500 g sample of a compound known to contain
carbon, hydrogen and oxygen undergoes complete
combustion to produce 0.3664 g of CO2 and 0.1500 g of
H2O. What is the empirical formula of this compound?

b) Given a molecular weight of approximately 108 g/mol,

what is its molecular formula?
 A 0.2500 g sample of a compound known to contain
carbon, hydrogen and oxygen undergoes complete
combustion to produce 0.3664 g of CO2 and 0.1500 g of
WORKED EXAMPLE H2O. What is the empirical formula of this compound?

STEP 1 Find the mass of C carbon form the mass of CO2 given

44 g of CO2 contains 12 g of C
0.3664 g of CO2 contains 0.3664 x 12
44
= 0.099 g of C
 A 0.2500 g sample of a compound known to contain
carbon, hydrogen and oxygen undergoes complete
combustion to produce 0.3664 g of CO2 and 0.1500 g of
WORKED EXAMPLE
2 Find the
H2O. What is the empirical formula of this compound?

STEP from the

18 g of H2O contains 2g of H
0.1500 g of H2O contains 0.1500 x 2
18
= 0.016 g of H
 A 0.2500 g sample of a compound known to contain carbon,
hydrogen and oxygen undergoes complete combustion to
produce 0.3664 g of CO2. 0.1500 g of H2O. What is the
WORKED EXAMPLE empirical formula of this compound?

Use the masses of the carbon and hydrogen to determine

STEP 3 the mass of the oxygen based on the original quantity

Mass of Oxygen = Total Mass of Compd. - (Mass of C+ Mass of H )

= 0.2500 - (0.016 + 0.099)
= 0.2500 – 0.115
= 0.135
 A 0.2500 g sample of a compound known to contain
carbon, hydrogen and oxygen undergoes complete
combustion to produce 0.3664 g of CO2. 0.1500 g of
WORKED EXAMPLE H2O. What is the empirical formula of this compound?

STEP 4Use the % Comp. Table to determine the Empirical Formula

C H O
Mass 0.099 0.017 0.135
Molar Mass 12 1 16
Moles 0.099/12 0.017/1 0.135/16
Mole Ratio 0.008/0.008 = 1 0.017/0.008 = 2. 0.008/0.008 =1
Empirical Formula The Mole Ratio is 3:2:1 so the EF is CH2O
 A 0.2500 g sample of a compound known to contain carbon,
hydrogen and oxygen undergoes complete combustion to produce
0.3664 g of CO2 and 0.1500 g of H2O. a) What is the empirical formula
of this compound
WORKED EXAMPLE b) Given a molecular weight of approximately 108 g/mol, what is its

B
molecular formula?

Part Given the , what is its

STEP 1 Find the empirical formula mass (molar mass of the E.F.)
Determine the Mole Factor by dividing the MF = MFM
Molecular Formula Mass by the Empirical Formula Mass EFM STEP2

STEP 3 Use the molecular factor to multiply the E.F. to get the M.F.
 A 0.2500 g sample of a compound known to contain carbon,
hydrogen and oxygen undergoes complete combustion to produce
0.3664 g of CO2 and 0.1500 g of H2O. a) What is the empirical formula
of this compound
WORKED EXAMPLE b) Given a molecular weight of approximately 108 g/mol, what is its

B
molecular formula?

Part Given the , what is its

STEP 1 Find the empirical formula mass (molar mass of the E.F.)
Mr (CH2O) = (12 x 3) + (2 x1 ) + 16
Mr (CH2O) = 36 + 2 + 16
Mr (CH2O) = 54 STEP 1
 A 0.2500 g sample of a compound known to contain carbon,
hydrogen and oxygen undergoes complete combustion to produce
0.3664 g of CO2 and 0.1500 g of H2O. a) What is the empirical formula
of this compound
WORKED EXAMPLE b) Given a molecular weight of approximately 108 g/mol, what is its

B
molecular formula?

Part Given the , what is its

Determine the Mole Factor by dividing the MF = MFM

Molecular Formula Mass by the Empirical Formula Mass EFM STEP 2
1. MF = MFM 2. MF = 108 g mo l-1
3. MF = 2
EFM 54 g mol-1
 A 0.2500 g sample of a compound known to contain carbon,
hydrogen and oxygen undergoes complete combustion to produce
0.3664 g of CO2 and 0.1500 g of H2O. a) What is the empirical formula
of this compound
WORKED EXAMPLE b) Given a molecular weight of approximately 108 g/mol, what is its

B
molecular formula?

Part Given the , what is its

STEP 3 Use the mole factor to multiply the E.F. to get the M.F.
Mole Factor x Empirical Formula = Molecular Formula
MF = 2 ( C3H2O)
MF = C6H4O2
NOW YOU
TRY!
TRY
 PRACTICE QUESTION

On analysis, a sample of a sugar was found to contain 40.0%

No. 1 carbon, 6.7% hydrogen and 53.3% oxygen. The molar mass of
the compound is 108 gmol-1 . Determine the molecular mass of
the compound. (Assume that mass of the sample given is 100g)
 PRACTICE QUESTION

No. 2 A 1.000 g sample of a compound is combusted in excess oxygen

and the products are 2.492 g of CO2 and 0.6495 g of H2O.
a) Determine the empirical formula of the compound.
b) Given that its molar mass is 388.46 g/mol, determine the
compound's molecular formula.
 PRACTICE QUESTION

3
A carbohydrate is a compound composed solely of
No. carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. When 10.7695 g of
an unknown carbohydrate (MW = 128.2080
g/mol) was subjected to combustion analysis with
excess oxygen, it produced 29.5747 g CO2 and
12.1068 g H2O. What is its molecular formula?