Question

sample of a compound known to consist of only carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen is found to have a total mass of 29.05 g. if the mass of the carbon is 18.02 g and the mass of the hydrogen is 3.03 g, what is the empirical formula of the compound?

Answer 1

To determine the empirical formula, we need to calculate the mass of oxygen in the compound:

mass of oxygen = total mass - mass of carbon - mass of hydrogen

mass of oxygen = 29.05 g - 18.02 g - 3.03 g

mass of oxygen = 8.00 g

Now we can use the masses of each element to calculate the empirical formula:

1. Convert the mass of each element to moles using their atomic masses:

- moles of carbon = 18.02 g / 12.011 g/mol = 1.50 mol

- moles of hydrogen = 3.03 g / 1.008 g/mol = 3.00 mol

- moles of oxygen = 8.00 g / 15.999 g/mol = 0.500 mol

2. Divide each mole value by the smallest mole value to get the mole ratio:

- mole ratio of carbon = 1.50 mol / 0.500 mol = 3

- mole ratio of hydrogen = 3.00 mol / 0.500 mol = 6

- mole ratio of oxygen = 0.500 mol / 0.500 mol = 1

3. Write the empirical formula using the mole ratios as subscripts:

C3H6O

Therefore, the empirical formula of the compound is C3H6O.

Step-by-step explanation:

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