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Class 11th
Some Basic Concepts of Chemistry:
The Mole Concept
 Empirical & Molecular Formula
Chemical formulas are of two types:

Empirical Formula:
It is the formula with smallest set of whole number
subscripts of all elements present that match the mass
percentage.

Molecular Formula:
It is the formula with actual set of whole number
subscripts of all the elements present.
 Empirical & Molecular Formula
Molecular Formula = (Empirical Formula) x n
Molecular Formula Weight
n=
Emperical Formula Weight
For Example:
Consider a compound with % C = 40, % H = 6.6
and % O = 53.4.
The empirical formula will be CH2O

If the molecular weight is 180 then the molecular

formula is C6H12O6 and the compound is glucose.
 Empirical & Molecular Formula
For Example:
Consider a compound with % C = 40, % H = 6.6
and % O = 53.4.
The empirical formula will be CH2O

If the molecular weight is 60, then the molecular

formula is C2H4O2 or CH3COOH and the compound is
acetic acid.
 Empirical & Molecular Formula

So two different compounds can have the same

empirical formula but will always have different
molecular formula.
 Steps to Calculate Empirical Formula
The percentage of the elements in the compound is
determined by suitable methods and from the data
collected; the empirical formula is determined by the
following steps:

1. Divide the percentage of each element by its atomic

mass. This will give the relative number of moles of
various elements present in the compound.

2. Divide the quotients obtained in step 1 by the smallest

of them so as to get a simple ratio of moles of various
elements. This maintains the molar ratio and bases all
the molar amounts on one mole of the least abundant
element.
 Steps to Calculate Empirical Formula
3. If results of step 2 are not integers, multiply all of
them with a smallest common factor to convert all
molar amounts to integers or near integers.

4. Round off all the molar amounts to the nearest

integers.

5. Finally write down the symbols of the various

elements side by side and put the above number
as the subscripts to the lower right hand corner of
each symbol. This will represent the empirical
formula of the compound.
 Steps to Calculate Empirical Formula
Fractional Subscript Smallest Multiplier
---.10 10
---.20 5
---.25 4
---.33 3
---.50 2
---.66 3
---.75 4
Illustration:
A carbon compound on analysis gave the following
percentage composition. Carbon 14.5%, hydrogen
1.8%, chlorine 64.46%, oxygen 19.24%. Calculate the
empirical formula of the compound.
Solution:
Step 1: % composition of the elements present in the compound.
C H Cl O
14.5 1.8 64.46 19.24
Step 2: Dividing by the respective atomic weights
14.5 / 12 = 1.21 1.8 / 1 = 1.8 64.46 / 35.5 = 1.81 19.24 / 16 = 1.2
Step 3: Dividing the fractions among them by the smallest fraction.
1.21/1.2 = 1.008 1.8/1.2=1.5 1.81 / 1.2 = 1.508 1.2 / 1.2 = 1
Step 4: Multiplication by a suitable integer to get whole number ratio.
1.008 x 2 = 2 1.5 x 2 = 3 1.508 x 2 = 3 1x2=2
The simplest ratio of the atoms of different elements in the
compound. C : H : Cl : O = 2 : 3 : 3 : 2
Empirical formula of the compound: C2H3Cl3O2
A compound contains C = 71.23%, H = 12.95% &
O = 15.81%. What is the empirical formula of the
compound?
A compound contains C = 71.23%, H = 12.95% &
O = 15.81%. What is the empirical formula of the
compound?
Answer:
Empirical Formula: C6H13O
The simplest formula of a compound containing 50%
of element X (Atomic mass = 10) and 50% of the
element Y (Atomic mass = 20) is:

A XY

B X2Y

C XY2

D X2Y3
The simplest formula of a compound containing 50%
of element X (Atomic mass = 10) and 50% of the
element Y (Atomic mass = 20) is:

A XY

B X2Y

C XY2

D X2Y3
A compound of carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen
contains these elements in the mass ratio 9:1:3.5.
If its molecular mass is 108, what is the molecular
formula?

A C3H4N

B C6H8N2

C C9H12N3

D None of these
A compound of carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen
contains these elements in the mass ratio 9:1:3.5.
If its molecular mass is 108, what is the molecular
formula?

A C3H4N

B C6H8N2

C C9H12N3

D None of these
A compound of carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen
contains these elements in the atomic ratio 3 : 4 :1
If its molecular mass is 162, what is the molecular
formula?

A C3H4N

B C6H8N2

C C9H12N3

D None of these
A compound of carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen
contains these elements in the atomic ratio 3 : 4 :1
If its molecular mass is 162, what is the molecular
formula?

A C3H4N

B C6H8N2

C C9H12N3

D None of these
2.38 gm of uranium was heated strongly in a current
of air. The resulting oxide weighed 2.806 g.
Determine the empirical formula of the oxide. (At.
mass U = 238; O = 16).

A UO

B UO2

C U2O6

D U3O8
2.38 gm of uranium was heated strongly in a current
of air. The resulting oxide weighed 2.806 g.
Determine the empirical formula of the oxide. (At.
mass U = 238; O = 16).

A UO

B UO2

C U2O6

D U3O8
A compound has the following composition: Mg =
9.76%, S = 13.01%, O = 26.01%, H2O = 51.22%.
What is its empirical formula? [Mg = 24, S = 32,
O = 16, H = 1]

A MgSO4.5H2O

B MgSO4.3H2O

C MgSO4.7H2O

D MgSO4.2H2O
A compound has the following composition: Mg =
9.76%, S = 13.01%, O = 26.01%, H2O = 51.22%.
What is its empirical formula? [Mg = 24, S = 32,
O = 16, H = 1]

A MgSO4.5H2O

B MgSO4.3H2O

C MgSO4.7H2O

D MgSO4.2H2O
2.746 gm of a compound gave on analysis 1.94 gm
of silver, 0.268 gm of sulphur and 0.538 gm of
oxygen. Find the empirical formula of the compound.

A Ag2SO3

B AgSO4

C AgSO3

D Ag2SO4
2.746 gm of a compound gave on analysis 1.94 gm
of silver, 0.268 gm of sulphur and 0.538 gm of
oxygen. Find the empirical formula of the compound.

A Ag2SO3

B AgSO4

C AgSO3

D Ag2SO4
Solution:
Step 1: Calculate percentage composition
Percentage composition of the compound is calculated as under:
Ag = 1.94 x 100 / 2.746 = 70.6; S = 0.268 x 100 / 2.746 = 9.75
S = 0.538 x 100 / 2.746 = 19.6
To calculate empirical formula:
A carboxylic acid contains only C, H & O. A 4.24 g
sample of the acid is burnt completely in oxygen and
8.45 mg of CO2 & 3.46 mg of H2O is formed. What is
the empirical formula of the acid.

A C7H6O2

B CH2O

C C2H5O2

D C2H4O
A carboxylic acid contains only C, H & O. A 4.24 g
sample of the acid is burnt completely in oxygen and
8.45 mg of CO2 & 3.46 mg of H2O is formed. What is
the empirical formula of the acid.

A C7H6O2

B CH2O

C C2H5O2

D C2H4O
Solution:
Since law of constant composition is always valid
44 g CO2 has 12 g C
8.45 mg CO2 has 12 x 8.45 / 44 = 2.30 mg of C
% C = 2.3 / 4.24 x 100 = 54.3%

18 g H2O has 2 g H
3.46 mg H2O has 2 x 3.46 / 18 = 0.38 mg H
% H = 0.38 x 100 / 4.24 = 9%

So mass of O = 4.24 – 2.3 – 0.38 = 1.56 mg

% O = 1.56 x 100 / 4.24 = 36.7%
Solution: I Method

The Empirical Formula is C2H4O

Solution: II Method
In place of finding the mass %, we can get the number of moles
directly by dividing the mass of elements with their atomic mass.
Because when we compute the molar ratio, the total mass of sample
will get cancelled.

The Empirical Formula is C2H4O

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