What is the empirical formula for glucose?

1 Answer
Meave60
Dec 1, 2015

The empirical formula for glucose is #"CH"_2"O"#.

Explanation:

An empirical formula represents the lowest whole number ratio of elements in a compound.

The molecular formula for glucose is #"C"_6"H"_12"O"_6"#. The subscripts represent a multiple of an empirical formula. To determine the empirical formula, divide the subscripts by the GCF of #6#, which gives #"CH"_2"O"#.

The empirical formula #"CH"_2"O"# shows very clearly that glucose, a carbohydrate, is composed of hydrated carbon atoms.

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