Final answer:
To find the empirical formula of the hydrocarbon from the combustion products, calculate the moles of carbon from CO₂ and the moles of hydrogen from H₂O. This combustion analysis leads to a 1:1 mole ratio of carbon to hydrogen, which means the empirical formula is CH.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine the empirical formula of the hydrocarbon, we first need to calculate the moles of carbon and hydrogen in the sample. We start by using the masses of CO₂ and H₂O to find the number of moles of each element.
Calculation of Carbon:
From the mass of CO₂, we can calculate the moles of CO₂ and, subsequently, the moles of carbon:
0.845 g CO₂ × (1 mol CO₂ / 44.01 g CO₂) = 0.0192 mol CO₂
0.0192 mol CO₂ × (1 mol C / 1 mol CO₂) = 0.0192 mol C
Calculation of Hydrogen:
From the mass of H₂O, we calculate the moles of H₂O and, subsequently, the moles of hydrogen atoms:
0.173 g H₂O × (1 mol H₂O / 18.02 g H₂O) = 0.0096 mol H₂O
0.0096 mol H₂O × (2 mol H / 1 mol H₂O) = 0.0192 mol H
Determining the Empirical Formula:
With 0.0192 moles of carbon and 0.0192 moles of hydrogen, we have a 1:1 ratio, giving us the empirical formula of CH.