Final answer:
To determine the molecular formula of the compound, calculate the molar amounts of carbon and hydrogen in the sample using the provided masses of CO₂ and H₂O. Then, use these molar amounts to find the empirical formula.
Step-by-step explanation:
The molecular formula of a compound can be determined by calculating the molar amounts of carbon and hydrogen in the sample, using the provided masses of carbon dioxide and water, respectively. First, calculate the molar masses of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and water (H₂O). Then, use these molar masses to determine the number of moles of carbon and hydrogen in the sample. Finally, divide the number of moles by the smallest number of moles to get the empirical formula.
In this case, the given masses of 5.18 g of CO₂ and 1.06 g of H₂O can be used to calculate the molar amounts of carbon and hydrogen. The molar masses of carbon dioxide and water can be found by adding together the masses of their constituent elements. Once the molar amounts of carbon and hydrogen are determined, they can be used to write the empirical formula of the compound.