Question

An ionic compound is found to contain 10.9% magnesium, 31.8% chlorine and 57.3% oxygen. What is the empirical formula for this compound?

Answer 1

Mg 10.9g/24.31=0.018/0.018=1
Cl 31.8g/35.45=0.897/0.018=49.83=50
O 57.3g/16.00=3.581/0.018=198.94=199

empirical formula=MgCl50O199

I think it's right

Answer 2

The empirical formula is MgClO₈.

Step-by-step explanation:

To find the empirical formula, which is the minimum integer ratio between the atoms in a compound, we have to follow some steps.

Step 1: Divide each percentage by the atomic mass of the element

`Mg: (10.9)/(24.3) =0.449`

`Cl: (31.8)/(35.5) =0.896`

`O: (57.3)/(16.0) =3.58`

Step 2: We divide all the numbers by the smallest

In this case, the smallest number is 0.449

`Mg: (0.449)/(0.449) =1.00`

`Cl: (0.896)/(0.449) =2.00`

`O: (3.58)/(0.449) =7.97\approx 8`

Step 3: We incorporate these numbers as the atomicities in the empirical formula

The empirical formula is MgClO₈.