Final answer:
In chemistry, the determination of a compound's chemical formula involves measuring the masses of its constituent elements and using molar masses to convert the masses to moles. These mole amounts are then used to compute whole-number ratios and derive the empirical formula of the substance.
Step-by-step explanation:
In chemistry, the determination of a compound's chemical formula from experimental data usually involves two calculational steps. First, the masses of the constituent elements are measured. Then, using the molar masses of the elements, these masses are converted to the corresponding numbers of moles. These mole amounts are used to compute whole-number ratios, which can be used to derive the empirical formula of the substance. For example, if a sample of compound contains 1.71 g of carbon and 0.287 g of hydrogen, the numbers of atoms (in moles) would be determined to find the empirical formula.