Final answer:
To determine the molecular formula, calculate the empirical formula using the given percentages of C and F. Divide the masses of C and F by their respective atomic masses to obtain the number of moles. Finally, divide the moles by the smallest number of moles to determine the empirical formula.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine the molecular formula of the compound, we need to calculate the empirical formula first. The compound is found to be 38.734% C and 61.266% F. Assuming a 100g sample, this means there are 38.734g of carbon and 61.266g of fluorine.
Next, we convert the masses to moles by dividing by their respective atomic masses. The molar mass of carbon (C) is 12.01 g/mol and the molar mass of fluorine (F) is 19.00 g/mol.
Finally, we divide the moles by the smallest number of moles to obtain the empirical formula. In this case, the smallest number of moles is 38.734/12.01 = 3.222 and 61.266/19.00 = 3.226. Rounding to the nearest whole number, the empirical formula is CF4. Therefore, the molecular formula of the compound is C2F8.