Question

`One of the first chemical WMDs, researchers initially produced VX nerve agent for retail sale in the 1950s as a pesticide. Thankfully, your likelihood of coming in contact with VX is extremely low - the world's stockpiles have been destroyed, including the United States' main stockpile in Anniston, AL. The molecular formula for this nerve agent is C11H26NO2PS, and it has a molar mass of 267.37 g/mol. Given this information, what is its empirical formula?

Answer 1

`C_(11)H_(26)NO_2PS` is the empirical formula of nerve agent.

Step-by-step explanation:

Molecular formula is the chemical formula which depicts the actual number of atoms of each element present in the compound.

Empirical formula is the simplest chemical formula which depicts the whole number of atoms of each element present in the compound.

Molecular formula of nerve agent =
`C_(11)H_(26)NO_2PS`

Number of carbon atoms = 11

Number of hydrogen atom = 26

Number of oxygen atom = 2

Number of phosphorus atom = 1

Number of sulfur atom = 1

Taking ratio of all atoms of different elements in the compound:

C : H : O : P : S = 11 : 26 : 2 : 1 : 1 = 11 : 26 : 2 : 1 : 1

The empirical formula of the nerve agent will be same as that of the molecular formula.

`C_(11)H_(26)NO_2PS` is its empirical formula.