Question

How does the molecular formula of a compound differ from the empirical formula? Can a compound’s empirical and molecular formulas be the same? Explain.

Answer 1

The molecular formula of a compound differs from the empirical formula in that the molecular formula gives the actual number of atoms of each element in a molecule, while the empirical formula only gives the relative number of atoms.

Step-by-step explanation:

The molecular formula of a compound differs from the empirical formula in that the molecular formula gives the actual number of atoms of each element in a molecule, while the empirical formula only gives the relative number of atoms. For example, the empirical formula for glucose is CH2O, while the molecular formula is C6H12O6. The compound's empirical and molecular formulas can be the same if the molecule is composed of one unit, meaning that the empirical formula will be equal to the molecular formula.

Answer 2

Molecular is every element present in the compound eg C2H6, empirical is the smallest whole number ratio of elements in a compound so that would be CH3 as you divide by the highest common factor. Some compounds only have 1 formula if they are simple or have no common factors. Eg methane, CH4 is its molecular and empirical because its the simplest whole number ratio and includes every element in the molecule