Empirical Formula
Definition
The empirical formula is the simplest positive integer ratio of atoms present in a compound.
Analogy
Imagine if you and your friends decide to share pizza slices equally. If there are 2 slices for each person, regardless if it's from a large pizza or small pizza, your sharing ratio is always 1:1. That's what an empirical formula does - it gives us the simplest ratio between elements in a compound.
Related terms
Mole Ratio: The ratio between the amounts in moles of any two compounds involved in a chemical reaction.
Stoichiometry: The calculation involving the masses (in grams) or moles of reactants and products in a chemical reaction based on the balanced equation.
Chemical Formula: A representation using symbols and numbers to show what elements are present in a compound and their ratios.
"Empirical Formula" appears in:
Study guides (2)
Practice Questions (12)
A compound contains only the elements C and H. If substance combusts and produces 44.0 g of CO₂ and 18.0 g of H₂O, then what is the empirical formula of the compound?
What is the empirical formula of C₈H₁₆?
A compound contains 24g of carbon, 8g of hydrogen, and 16g of oxygen. What is the empirical formula of the compound?
A compound contains 48% carbon, 12% hydrogen, and 40% oxygen. What is the empirical formula of the substance?
What is the empirical formula of C₁₅H₃₀O₁₀?
The empirical formula of a compound is given by BH₃. What is the molecular formula if the mass of the compound is 82.86 g/mol?
The empirical formula of a compound is given by CH₂. What is the molecular formula if the mass of the compound is 42 g/mol?
The empirical formula of a compound is given by C₃H₂O₄. Which of the following could be its molecular formula?
A compound contains 24.4% calcium, 17% nitrogen, and 58.6% oxygen. What is the empirical formula of the compound?
A compound contains 28g of silicon and 64g of oxygen. What is the empirical formula of the compound?
A compound contains 2g of unknown element X and 4g of unknown element Y. What is the empirical formula for the compound?
A compound contains 2 mol of unknown element X and 4 mol of unknown element Y. What is the empirical formula for the compound?
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