Final answer:
To find the molecular formula of the compound, the molar mass of the empirical formula CHCl is calculated and then divided by the experimental molar mass of the substance, resulting in a ratio that is rounded to the nearest whole number. Multiplying the empirical formula by this whole number gives the molecular formula, C4H2Cl4.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine the molecular formula for an unknown substance with an empirical formula of CHCl and an experimental molar mass of 179.00 g/mol, we first need to calculate the molar mass of the empirical formula. The atomic masses of carbon (C), hydrogen (H), and chlorine (Cl) are approximately 12.01 g/mol, 1.008 g/mol, and 35.45 g/mol respectively. Adding these together, the molar mass of the empirical formula CHCl is 12.01 + 1.008 + 35.45 = 48.468 g/mol.
Next, we divide the experimental molar mass of the substance by the molar mass of the empirical formula to find the ratio: 179.00 g/mol ÷ 48.468 g/mol ≈ 3.69. Since molecular formulas are whole-number multiples of the empirical formula, we round 3.69 to the nearest whole number, which is 4. This indicates that the molecular formula is four times the empirical unit of CHCl.
Multiplying the empirical formula by 4, we get: C4H4Cl4, which corresponds to option D.) C4H2Cl4.