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Empirical and Molecular Formulas

This document discusses empirical and molecular formulas. It provides examples of how to calculate the empirical formula from percentage composition and how to determine the molecular formula when given the empirical formula and molar mass. Specifically, it shows how to calculate the empirical formula of calcium cyanide from its percentage composition and the molecular formula of benzene from its empirical formula and molar mass.

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Neeta Pandey
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48 views16 pages

Empirical and Molecular Formulas

This document discusses empirical and molecular formulas. It provides examples of how to calculate the empirical formula from percentage composition and how to determine the molecular formula when given the empirical formula and molar mass. Specifically, it shows how to calculate the empirical formula of calcium cyanide from its percentage composition and the molecular formula of benzene from its empirical formula and molar mass.

Uploaded by

Neeta Pandey
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Empirical and Molecular Formulas

Review

 We learned how to calculate the molar


mass of compounds.
 Calculate the molar mass of Ca(CN)2.
 1 x Ca = 1 x 40.08 g/mol = 40.08 g/mol

 2 x C = 2 x 12.01 g/mol = 24.02 g/mol

 2 x N = 2 x 14.01 g/mol = 28.02 g/mol

 TOTAL = 92.12 g/mol


Review

 We also learned how to determine the


percentage composition of a compound.
 Calculate the % composition of Ca(CN)2.
 %Ca = (40.08)/(92.12) x 100% = 43.51% Ca
 %C = (24.02)/(92.12) x 100% = 26.07% C
 %N = (28.02)/(92.12) x 100% = 30.42% N
Empirical Formulas

 Molecular Formula (MF) - shows how


many atoms are actually in a molecule.
 EXAMPLE: Glucose has the MF C6H12O6.
 EXAMPLE: Water has the MF H2O.

O
H H
Empirical Formulas

 Empirical Formula (EF) - shows the


lowest whole-number ratio of atoms in a
compound.
 EXAMPLE: Glucose has the EF CH2O.
 EXAMPLE: Water has the EF H O.
2
 Different cmpds can have different MFs but
have the same EF.
 EXAMPLE: NO and N O have different MFs
2 2 4
but the same EF (NO2).
Empirical Formulas

 You can discover the empirical formula


of a compound if you know the %
composition.
 Will NOT tell you which molecular
formula is correct!
Empirical Formulas

 An unknown compound is analyzed:


 15.77% carbon
 84.23% sulfur
 Calculate the EF.
Empirical Formulas
 First, assume you have exactly 100
grams of the sample.
 Why 100 grams?
 Because percents become grams.
 In 100 grams of this compound you
would have:
 15.77 g C
 84.23 g S
Empirical Formulas
 Next, change grams to moles.
1 mol C
 15.77 g C x = 1.313 mol C
12.01 g C

1 mol S
x = 2.626 mol S
 84.23 g S 32.07 g S
Empirical Formulas
 The formula so far:
 C1.313S2.626
 Divide all subscripts by the lowest one.
 CS2
 This is the empirical formula of our
mystery compound.
 We don’t know if it’s the correct molecular
formula.
 Could be CS2, C2S4, C3S6, C4S8, etc...
Empirical Formulas
 A mystery compound has the following
composition:
 3.0856% hydrogen
 31.604% phosphorus
 65.310% oxygen
 What is this compound’s empirical
formula?
Empirical Formulas
 Convert grams to moles.

 3.0856 g H x = 3.0613 mol H

 31.604 g P x = 1.0203 mol P

 65.310 g O x = 4.0820 mol O

 Formula so far: H3.0613P1.0203O4.0820


 Reduced: H3PO4
Empirical Formulas
 A mystery compound has the following
composition:
 25.940% nitrogen
 74.060% oxygen
 What is this compound’s empirical
formula?
Empirical Formulas
 Convert grams to moles.

 25.940 g N x = 1.8520 mol N

 74.060 g O x = 4.6289 mol O

 Formula so far: N1.8520O4.6289


 Reduced: NO2.5
 Double subscripts to eliminate fractions.
 N2O5
Molecular Formulas
 If we know a compound’s empirical formula
and its molar mass, we can work out its
molecular formula.
 Benzene, a common non-polar solvent, has the
empirical formula CH and a molar mass of 78.12
g/mol
 Formula mass of CH: 13.02 g/mol
 How many times does this go into 78.12 g/mol?
 78.12 g/mol  13.02 g/mol = 6 times
 Molecular formula of benzene = (CH)6 = C6H6
Molecular Formulas
 The empirical formula of uracil (a base found in
RNA) is C2H2NO. If the molar mass of uracil is
122.09 g/mol, what is the molecular formula of
uracil?
 Formula mass of C2H2NO: 56.05 g/mol
 How many times does this go into 122.09 g/mol?
 122.09 g/mol  56.05 g/mol ≈ 2
 Molecular formula of uracil = (C2H2NO)2 = C4H4N2O2

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