Final answer:
To find the empirical formula of a hydrocarbon from combustion data, calculate the molar amounts of C, H, and N from the masses of CO₂, H₂O, and NO₂ produced. Convert these to a whole number ratio to establish the compound's empirical formula, taking care to correctly handle the nitrogen content if NO₂ is observed.
Step-by-step explanation:
Determining Empirical Formula from Combustion Data
To determine the empirical formula of a hydrocarbon that was combusted in excess oxygen, you would need to calculate the molar amounts of carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen in the original compound using the masses of the combustion products (CO₂, H₂O, and NO₂). In this case, we had combustion products but did not have their respective masses. Assuming we had them, the process would involve the following steps:
Determine the amount of carbon by using the mass of collected CO₂ and its molar mass (44.01 g/mol) to find the moles of carbon.
Determine the amount of hydrogen by using the mass of collected H₂O and its molar mass (18.02 g/mol) to find the moles of hydrogen (since each mole of water has 2 moles of hydrogen atoms).
Calculate the moles of nitrogen by utilizing the mass of NO₂
Once the moles of each element are found, the moles can be converted to a whole number ratio to determine the empirical formula. For nitrogen, if NO₂ is the combustion product, it would complicate the process as nitrogen typically forms N₂, not a nitrogen-oxygen compound in fuel combustion. Care must be taken to establish the correct molar ratios.