7_Empirical&MolecularFormulas

EmpiricalFormula

Theempiricalformulaofacompoundshows
thesmallestwholenumberratiooftheatoms
inthecompound.

Ethyne(C2H2)isagasused
inwelder'storches.

Styrene(C8H8)isusedin
makingpolystyrene.

Theyhavethesameempirical
formula,buthavedifferent
molecularformulas.

Example

1
7_Empirical&MolecularFormulas

Practice
Page310,question36&37.

36. Calculatetheempiricalformulaofeach
compound.
a)94.1%O,5.9%H
b)67.7%Hg,10.8%S,21.6%O

37. 1,6diaminohexaneisusedtomakenylon.
Whatistheempiricalformulaofthis
compoundifitis62.1%C,13.8%Hand
24.1%N?

MolecularFormula

Themolecularformulaofacompoundiseither:
1. Thesameastheempiricalformula,or
2. Asimplewholenumbermultipleofits

empiricalformula.Thisiswheremolar
massisimportant.

2
7_Empirical&MolecularFormulas

CalculatingMolecularFormulas(includesionic
compounds)

A.Determineempiricalformula
B.Determinemolarmassofcompound
C.DivideMolarMass
Emp.FormulaMass
D.Takeeachelementintheempiricalformulatimes
bynumberfromstepC
E.Writeoutnewformula

Example

3
7_Empirical&MolecularFormulas

Example

Practice

45. Thecompoundmethylbutanoatesmells
likeapples.Itspercentcompositionis
58.8%C,9.8%H,and31.4%Oandits
molarmassis102g/mol.Whatisits
empiricalformula?Whatisitsmolecular
formula?