Answer:
P₅O₁₂
Explanation:
Assume that you have 100 g of the compound.
Then you have 44.7 g P and 55.3 g O.
1. Calculate the moles of each atom
Moles of P = 44.7 × 1/30.97 = 1.443 mol Al
Moles of O = 55.3 × 1/16.00 = 3.456 mol O
2. Calculate the molar ratios.
P: 1.443/1.443 = 1
O: 3.456/1.443 = 2.395
3. Multiply by a number to make the ratio close to an integer
P: 5 × 1 = 5
O: 5 × 2.395 = 11.97
3. Determine the empirical formula
Round off all numbers to the closest integer.
P: 5
O: 12
The empirical formula is P₅O₁₂.