Final answer:
The empirical formula for valproic acid is C4H8O, derived by simplifying the molecular formula C8H16O2 by dividing each element's count by the greatest common divisor.
Step-by-step explanation:
The empirical formula for valproic acid can be determined by starting with its molecular formula, which is C8H16O2. The ratio of atoms in valproic acid is 8:16:2, which simplifies to 4:8:1 after dividing by the greatest common divisor, which is 2 in this case. Therefore, the empirical formula for valproic acid is C4H8O. An empirical formula represents the simplest whole-number ratio of elements in a compound, and it is different from the molecular formula which can be a higher multiple of the empirical formula.
To convert an empirical formula into a molecular formula, knowledge of the compound's molar mass is required. You can calculate a molecular formula based on the fact that an empirical formula can always be multiplied by an integer n to yield the molecular formula. However, for valproic acid specifically, the initial question was only about its empirical formula.