Is H2O an empirical formula?

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Is H2O an empirical formula?

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Answer 1 · 2015-10-26T18:16:40

Absolutely!

Explanation:

The empirical formula is the simplest whole number ratio that defines constituent atoms in a species (that was glib, I learned this definition as a youth!). Since $O H_{2}$ $OH_2$ is the simplest whole number ratio it is indeed the empirical formula.

To expand, the molecular formula is always a multiple of the empirical formula: i.e $M . F . = n (E . F .)$ $M.F. = n(E.F.)$ , where $n$ $n$ is an integer. Here the multiple is $1$ $1$ , because clearly the molecular formula of water is $H_{2} O$ $H_2O$ .

Can you tell me the empirical formulae of hydrogen peroxide, $H_{2} O_{2}$ $H_2O_2$ , $N O$ $NO$ , $N_{2} O_{4}$ $N_2O_4$ , and $H_{2} C = C H_{2}$ $H_2C=CH_2$ ?

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Is H2O an empirical formula?

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