Question #06412
2 Answers
Explanation:
First, we need to find the number of moles of each substance in the hydrocarbon.
Using
Then, we need to determine the simplest whole number ratio of moles of the elements present.
This can be done by dividing the mole quantities by the smaller amount:
After division, the values should be close enough to whole numbers to approximate.
In this case,
So we must multiply both values by some number to reach a reasonable level of accuracy:
We have now reached an accurate enough value to round to a whole number:
Therefore, the simplest formula for this hydrocarbon is
The empirical formula for this hydrocarbon is
Explanation:
The simplest formula of a compound is its empirical formula, which represents the lowest whole number ratio of the elements in the compound.
You have been given the masses of carbon and hydrogen in a sample of a hydrocarbon. There are several steps to follow. Convert the masses to moles. Divide the moles by the lowest number of moles to get the subscripts. If you don't get whole numbers, then you will need to multiply the moles by a whole number that results in whole numbers.
Multiply the given mass of each element by the inverse of its molar mass, which is its atomic weight on the periodic table in g/mol.
Divide each number of moles by the lowest number of moles. This will give you the subscripts for each element in the formula.
The empirical formula for this hydrocarbon is