How are empirical and molecular formulas alike?

1 Answer
Mar 11, 2018

Well the latter is a whole number multiple of the former....and of course the multiple may be ONE.

Explanation:

The empirical formula is the simplest whole number ratio defining constituent elements in a species. And the #"molecular formula"# is a whole number multiple of the #"empirical formula"#.

And typically, the empirical formula is derived from carbon, hydrogen microanalysis (that is what #"empirical"# means #"experimental"#. The molecular formula is derived when an estimate of the molecular mass of the molecule is obtained....