Final answer:
To identify the empirical and molecular formulas of a chlorinated hydrocarbon, convert the percentages to grams, calculate the moles of each element, and find the simplest whole number ratio. The empirical formula represents this ratio, while the molecular formula is a multiple of the empirical formula that corresponds to the actual molar mass.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process of determining the empirical and molecular formula of a chlorinated hydrocarbon compound begins by converting the mass percentages to grams, assuming a 100 g sample. This step helps us find the number of moles of each element. Let's consider a chlorinated hydrocarbon consisting of 24.24% carbon, 4.04% hydrogen, and 71.72% chlorine with a molar mass of 99 g/mol. The number of moles of carbon is calculated by dividing the mass of carbon by its molar mass (12.01 g/mol for carbon), similarly for hydrogen (1.008 g/mol), and chlorine (35.45 g/mol). Once the moles are calculated, divide each by the smallest number of moles obtained to find the ratio between the elements.
The empirical formula is the simplest whole number ratio of atoms in the compound, while the molecular formula is a multiple of the empirical formula that matches the compound's actual molar mass. By relating the empirical formula mass to the given molar mass, the multiple is found and used to determine the molecular formula.