Question

A sample contains 1.3 moles of carbon, 10.4 moles of hydrogen, and 10.4 moles ofoxygen. Find the empirical formula. What is the subscript for oxygen?Hint 1: The only thing you should put in the blank below is the number that is thesubscript for oxygen in the correct empirical formula.Hint 2: This is basically just the very last part of your finding empirical formulas frompercent composition problems.

Answer 1

8

Explanations:

The empirical formula of a compound is defined as the simple whole ratio of atoms present in a compound.

Given the following parameters

• Moles of carbon = 1.3 moles

,

• Moles of hydrogen = 10.4 moles

,

• Moles of Oxygen = 10.4 moles

Calculate the simple whole ratio of each atom by dividing the mole number by the smallest mole value:

`\begin{gathered} \text{For C: }(1.3moles)/(1.3)=1.0 \\ \text{For Hydrogen: }(10.4moles)/(1.3)=8.0 \\ \text{For Oxygen: }(10.4moles)/(1.3)=8.0 \end{gathered}`

Determine the empirical formula:

`C_{}H_8O_8`

From the resulting empirical formula, the subscript for oxygen in the correct empirical formula is 8.