Question

The label on a bottle shows the following information: C2H4O, molar mass 44.06 grams per mole. The formula must be:

a. the empirical formula only
b. the molecular formula only
c. the empirical formula and the molecular formula
d. neither the empirical formula nor the molecular formula

Answer 1

c. the empirical formula and the molecular formula

Step-by-step explanation:

Atomic mass of C = 12 amu

Atomic mass of H = 1.0 amu

Atomic mass of O = 16 amu

Molar mass of C₂H₄O = (12 x 2) + (1 x 4) + (16 x 1) = 44 g/mol

Molar mass is given by the summation of the atomic mass of the individual atoms.

We calculate the molecular mass or molar mass from the molar formula. therefore C₂H₄O is the molecular formula.

Also empirical formula is the simplest ratio of the atoms in a molecule. For every 1 O atom there are 2 C atoms and 4 H atoms. So this is the simplest ratio of atoms in the molecule. Therefore, C₂H₄O is also the empirical formula.

Answer 2

The formula can be empirical because the subscripts are reduced to the lowest fraction.

To check if this formula is also the molecular formula we can check by obtaining the molar mass of the compound it is equal to the given molar mass. Thus

12*2 + 4*1 + 16 = 44 g/mol

this is ~equal to the given molar mass thus the given equation can be both empirical and molecular.