Final answer:
The chemical formula corresponding to the provided structural formula is C2H6O, which represents the molecule ethanol. The correct answer is O C₂H₆O.
Step-by-step explanation:
The chemical formula that corresponds to the structural formula given in the question is C2H6O. If we analyze the structure, starting from the left, there are two carbon (C) atoms.
The first carbon is bonded to three hydrogen (H) atoms, and the second carbon is bonded to two hydrogen atoms and one hydroxyl group (OH).
This gives us a total of six hydrogen atoms and an OH group attached to the two carbon atoms, which indicates that the molecule is ethanol, commonly known as alcohol.
The empirical formula of a compound represents the simplest whole-number ratio of the atoms present in a molecule. It doesn't provide the exact number of atoms but shows their relative proportions.