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Emperical and Molecular Formula
Emperical and Molecular Formula
C 3, H 6, O 2
So, the final empirical formula is C3H6O2
Steps for Determining the Empirical Formula of a
Compound
A gaseous compound containing carbon
and hydrogen was analyzed and found to
consist of 83.65% carbon by mass.
Determine the empirical formula of the
compound.
83.65% C = 83.65 g C
(100.00 – 83.65)
16.35% H = 16.35 g H
16
Steps for Determining the Empirical Formula of a
Compound
2. Determine the number of moles of each type of
atom present.
1 mol C
83.65 g C = 6.965 mol C
12.01 g C
1 mol H
16.35 g H = 16.22 mol H
1.008 g H
6.965 mol C
=1
6.965 mol
16.22 mol H
= 2.33
6.965 mol
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18
RESERVED
Steps for Determining the Empirical Formula of a Compound
C: 1 3 = 3
H: 2.33 3 = 7
The empirical formula is C H7 .
3
smallest
43.4% 43.4 g Na (1 mole / 23 g/mol) =1.887 moles Na
11.3% 11.3 g C (1 mole / 12 g/mol) = 0.9417 moles C
45.3% 45.3 g O (1 mole / 16 g/mol) = 2.831 moles O
1.887/0.9417 =2.00 Na
2.831/0.9417 = 3.00 O .
9417/.9417 = 1.00 C
3.692 g O 1 mol O
= 0.2308 mol O
16.00 g O
Calculating Empirical Formula
An oxide of aluminum is formed by the reaction of 4.151 g of
aluminum with 3.692 g of oxygen. Calculate the empirical formula.
5.475 g Cl 1 mol Cl
= 0.1544 mol Cl
35.45 g Cl
CoCl2
Calculating Empirical Formula
2.000 g Fe 1 mol Fe
= 0.03581 mol Fe
55.85 g Fe
0.573 g O 1 mol O
= 0.03581 mol Fe
16.00 g
1:1
FeO
A sample of lead arsenate, an
insecticide used against the potato
beetle, contains 1.3813 g lead,
0.00672g of hydrogen, 0.4995 g of
arsenic, and 0.4267 g of oxygen.
Calculate the empirical formula for
lead arsenate.
Calculating Empirical Formula
A sample of lead arsenate, an insecticide used against the potato
beetle, contains 1.3813 g lead, 0.00672g of hydrogen, 0.4995 g of
arsenic, and 0.4267 g of oxygen. Calculate the empirical formula
for lead arsenate.
1.3813 g Pb 1 mol Pb
= 0.006667 mol Pb
207.2 g Pb
0.00672 gH 1 mol H
= 0.00667 mol H
1.008 g H
0.4995 g As 1 mol As
= 0.006667 mol As
74.92 g As
0.4267g Fe 1 mol O
= 0.02667 mol O
16.00 g O
Molecular Formula
Molecular Formula – this tells us how many atoms of each type there
really are in the compound.
Can two substances have the same empirical formula but be different?
◦ YES! Benzene vs. acetylene: C6H6 vs. C2H2
◦ What is their empirical formula? How is this different from ionic
compounds?
Relating Molecular and Empirical
Formulas
A molecular formula
•is equal or a multiple of its empirical formula
•has a molar mass that is the product of the empirical
formula mass multiplied by a small integer
molar mass = a small integer
empirical mass
•is obtained by multiplying the subscripts in the empirical
formula by the same small integer
33
Calculating Molecular Formula
STEP 1:
◦ You will be given the molar mass of the compound and the empirical formula.
STEP 2:
◦ Calculate the empirical mass (mass of the empirical formula).
STEP 3:
◦ Divide the given molar mass by the empirical mass. You should get a small whole
number.
STEP 4:
◦ Multiply the subscripts of the empirical formula with the number obtained.
Molecular Formula Example
STEP 1:
◦ The empirical formula is CH2O and the molar mass is 180.18 g.
STEP 2:
◦ The empirical mass is 12.01g + 2*1.01g + 16.00g = 30.03 g
STEP 3:
◦ 180.18 g/ 30.03 g = 6
STEP 4:
◦ CH2O becomes C6H12O6
Molecular Formula
A compound contains 24.27% C, 4.07% H, and 71.65% Cl. The molar
mass is about 99 g. What are the empirical and molecular formulas?
36
Solution
STEP 1 Calculate the empirical formula mass.
24.27 g C x 1 mol C = 2.021 mol of C
12.01 g C
38
Solution (continued)
STEP 2 Divide the molar mass by the empirical formula
mass to obtain a small integer.
Molar mass = 99 g = 2
Empirical formula mass 49.48 g
42
Solution (continued)
STEP 3 Multiply the empirical formula by the small integer to
obtain the molecular formula.
43
Assignments
Succinic acid is a substance produced by lichens. Chemical analysis
indicates it is composed of 40.68% carbon, 5.08% hydrogen, and 52.24%
oxygen and has a molar mass of 118.1 g/mol. Determine the empirical
and molecular formulas for succinic acid.
Calculate Empirical Formula from
Percent Composition
Lactic acid has a molar mass of 90.08 g and has this percent
composition:
40.0% C, 6.71% H, 53.3% O
What is the empirical and molecular formula of lactic acid?
Assume a 100.0 g sample size
◦ Convert percent numbers to grams
Calculate Empirical Formula from
Percent Composition
Convert mass of each element to moles
Divide each mole quantity by the smallest number of
moles
mol C 3.33
40.0 g C 3.33 mol C C: 1.00
12.0 g C 3.33
mol H 6.66
6.71 g H 6.66 mol H H: 2.00
1.008 g H 3.33
mol O 3.33
53.3 g O 3.33 mol O O: 1.00
16.00 g O 3.33
Empirical
The ratio of C to H to O is 1 to 2 to 1 formula is CH2O
Empirical formula mass = 12.01 + 2 (1.008) + 16.00 = 30.03 g/mol
Formulas
Empirical Formula
for Compounds
◦ Smallest possible set of subscript numbers
◦ Smallest whole number ratio
◦ All ionic compounds are given as empirical formulas
Molecular Formulas
The actual formulas of molecules
It shows all of the atoms present in a molecule
It may be the same as the EF or a whole- number
multiple of its EF
Molecular formula
Sample Problem 3.10
C3H6O3 is the
molecular formula
Example
• Find the molecular formula of a compound
that contains 42.56 g of palladium and 0.80 g
of hydrogen. The molar mass of the
compound is 216.8 g/mol.
Example
• Find the molecular formula of a compound
that contains 42.56 g of palladium and 0.80 g
of hydrogen. The molar mass of the
compound is 216.8 g/mol.
Step1 Convert to moles
o 42.56 g Pd x 1 mole Pd = 0.40 mol Pd
106.42 g
o 0.80 g H x 1 mole H = 0.79 mol H
1.01 g
Example Continued
Step 2: Find mole ratio:
PD: 0.40/0.40 = 1
H: 0.79/0.40 = 2