Empirical Formula And Molecular Formulas

Empirical Formula

The smallest whole-number mole ratio for the elements for a compound.
The data used to determine the chemical formula for a cmpd may be in the form of percent composition or it may be the actual masses of the elements in a given mass of the cmpd.

Empirical Formulas
If the percent composition is given, you can assume that the total mass of the compound is 100 grams The percent by mass of each element is equal to the mass of that element in grams. Example:. The percent composition for oxygen in a sulfur and oxygen compound is 59.95%. So the percent for sulfur is 40%. What is the empirical formula?

40 g S

1 mol S 32.07 g S
= 1.249 mol S

59.95 g O

1 mol O 16.00 g O

= 3.747 mol O

The mole ratio of S atoms to O atoms is 1.249 to 3.747

Can you use these numbers as subscripts?

Empirical Formulas
How can the mole ratio be converted to whole numbers?
As a starting point recognize that the element with the smaller number of moles might have the smallest subscript possible.
You can make the mole value of sulfur equal to 1 if you divide both mole values by the value of sulfur (1.25)

1.249 mol S
1.249

= 1 mol S

3.747 mol O

= 3 mol O 1.25

The mole ratio of S atoms to O atoms is 1:3 so the empirical formula is SO3

What the @#$%? How can I remember?

1. 2.

3.
4.

There is a poem to help Percent to Mass Mass to Mole Divide by Small Multiply till Whole Sometimes the mole values are still not whole numbers so multiply by the smallest factor that will make them whole numbers

Example Problem

Methyl Acetate is a solvent commonly used in some paints, inks, and adhesives. Determine the empirical formula for methyl acetate which has the following chemical analysis: 48.64% C, 8.16% hydrogen, and 43.20% oxygen

Dont Freak!!! Change percent to mass first then Mass to mole

48. 64 g C
= 4.050 mol C 12.01 g C

8. 16 g H

= 8.10 mol H 1.008 g H

43.20 g O

= 2.700 mol O 16 g O

Divide each number of moles by the smallest value in the mole ratio

In this case is 2.700

4.050 mol C 2.700 8.10 mol H 2.700 = 3.00 mol H = 1.5 mol C

2.700 2.700

= 1 mol 0

What is the ratio, yo?

The simplest ratio is 1.5 mol C: 3 mol H: 1 mol A decimal cant be in the subscript so we multiply by the smallest number that will produce a ratio of whole numbers In this case 2 because 2 times 1.5 = 3 2 * 1.5 mol C = 3 mol C 2 * 3 mol H = 6 mol H 2 * 1 mol 0 = 2 mol 0

The Final Answer

C3H6O2

Practice Problem!! Now You Try!!!

Dont forget the Poem!!!

Percent

to Mass Mass to mole Divide by small Multiply till whole

A blue solid is found to contain 36.84% nitrogen and 63.16% oxygen. What is the empirical formula for the solid?

Another Practice Problem

Determine the empirical formula for a compound that contains 35.98% aluminum and 64.02%. Dont forget the poem!!! Al2S3

Warm Up

Determine the empirical formula off a compound that is 1.723 g of carbon, .289 g of hydrogen, and .459 g of oxygen.

An empirical formula represents the simplest whole number ratio of the atoms in a compound.
The molecular formula is the true or actual ratio of the atoms in a compound.

Learning Check EF-1

A. What is the empirical formula for C4H8?

1) C2H4 1) C4H7 1) CH2O

2) CH2 2) C6H12 2) C2H4O2

3) CH 3) C8H14 3) C3H6O3

B. What is the empirical formula for C8H14?

C. What is a molecular formula for CH2O?

Solution EF-1
A. What is the empirical formula for C4H8?

2) CH2
B. What is the empirical formula for C8H14?

1) C4H7
C. What is a molecular formula for CH2O?

1) CH2O

2) C2H4O2

3) C3H6O3

Learning Check EF-2

If the molecular formula has 4 atoms of N, what is the molecular formula if SN is the empirical formula? Explain.

1) SN
2) SN4 3) S4N4

Solution EF-2
If the molecular formula has 4 atoms of N, what is the molecular formula if SN is the empirical formula? Explain. 3) S4N4

If the actual formula has 4 atoms of N, and S is related 1:1, then there must also be 4 atoms of S.

Empirical and Molecular Formulas

molar mass = simplest mass a whole number = n

n = 1 molar mass = empirical mass molecular formula = empirical formula n = 2 molar mass = 2 x empirical mass molecular formula = 2 x empirical formula molecular formula = or > empirical formula

Empirical Formula

Molecular Formula

Empirical Mass

Molecular Mass

Learning Check EF-3

A compound has a formula mass of 176.0 and an empirical formula of C3H4O3. What is the molecular formula?

1) C3H4O3 2) C6H8O6 3) C9H12O9