Final answer:
The empirical formula of the compound with a mass percentage composition of 71.65% Cl, 24.27% C, and 4.07% H is ClCH2.
Step-by-step explanation:
The empirical formula of a compound can be determined based on its mass percentage composition. To find the empirical formula, we need to determine the simplest whole number ratio of the elements present in the compound.
In this case, the compound consists of 71.65% Cl, 24.27% C, and 4.07% H. We can assume 100 grams of the compound, which means we have 71.65 grams of Cl, 24.27 grams of C, and 4.07 grams of H.
Next, we need to convert the masses to moles by dividing by the molar masses of the elements. The molar masses of Cl, C, and H are 35.45 g/mol, 12.01 g/mol, and 1.01 g/mol, respectively.
Converting the masses to moles, we have:
Cl: 71.65 g / 35.45 g/mol = 2.02 mol
C: 24.27 g / 12.01 g/mol = 2.02 mol
H: 4.07 g / 1.01 g/mol = 4.03 mol
Now, we need to find the simplest whole number ratio of the elements. Dividing the moles of each element by the smallest number of moles (in this case, 2.02 mol), gives us:
Cl: 2.02 mol / 2.02 mol = 1
C: 2.02 mol / 2.02 mol = 1
H: 4.03 mol / 2.02 mol = 2
Therefore, the empirical formula of the compound is ClCH2.