Answer:
NO2 (nitrogen dioxide)
Step-by-step explanation:
The empirical formula is the formula of the compound with its proportions of each element being in the simplest mole ratio.
That being said, first, we find the number of moles of each element.
n(N) = mass present/molar mass (m/M) = 42.05/14.01 (use a periodic table to locate the molar mass)
n(N) = 3.00143 mol
n(O) = m/M = 95.95/16.00 = 5.99688 mol
∴ the ratio of nitrogen to oxygen = 3.00143 : 5.99688
divide both sides by 3.00143, and we get 1 : 1.998,
which we can then round up to 1 : 2.
Hence, the empirical formula of the compound is
