What is the molecular formula of the #C_3H_5O_2#, if the gram molecular mass is 146 g/mol?

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Answer 1 · 2017-08-29T18:28:27

We gots an empirical formula.......and we use this to determine a molecular formula of #C_6H_10O_4#.

We gots an empirical formula of #C_3H_5O_2# OF WHICH THE MOLECULAR FORMULA IS A SIMPLE WHOLE NUMBER MULTIPLE.

Why the shouting? Because I want to emphasize that the molecular formula may be represented as #{C_3H_5O_2}_n#.

And thus .............................

#146*g*mol^-1-=nxx{3xx12.011+5xx1.00794+2xx16.00}*g*mol^-1#

And so #n=(146*g*mol^-1)/(73.0*g*mol^-1)#

And clearly #n=2#............

And thus our #"molecular formula"=2xxC_3H_5O_2=C_6H_10O_4#.