Final Answer:
The empirical formula of the compound with 5.94% hydrogen and 94.06% oxygen is H₂O. This is determined by converting the percentages to moles and finding the simplest whole number ratio, which shows that the compound is water.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine the empirical formula of the compound with 5.94% hydrogen and 94.06% oxygen, you need to convert these percentages into moles. Assume a 100g sample to make the calculations easier.
1. Convert the percentages to moles:
- Hydrogen: 5.94% → 5.94 g (1 mole of hydrogen weighs 1 g/mol).
- Oxygen: 94.06% → 94.06 g (1 mole of oxygen weighs 16 g/mol).
2. Determine the mole ratio:
- Hydrogen: 5.94 g / 1 g/mol = 5.94 mol
- Oxygen: 94.06 g / 16 g/mol = 5.87875 mol
3. Find the simplest whole number ratio:
- Divide both moles by the smallest number of moles, which is approximately 5.87875.
- Hydrogen: 5.94 mol / 5.87875 mol ≈ 1
- Oxygen: 5.87875 mol / 5.87875 mol ≈ 1
The empirical formula is H₂O, indicating that the compound is water.