As a chemistry expert with a deep understanding of molecular and empirical formulas, I can provide a comprehensive explanation on the topic. An empirical formula represents the simplest whole number ratio of atoms in a compound. It does not reflect the actual structure of the molecule but gives a fundamental understanding of the composition.

When determining if a given formula is empirical, we must first understand the difference between empirical and molecular formulas. A molecular formula specifies the exact number of atoms of each element in a molecule, while an empirical formula provides the simplest whole number ratio of these atoms.

Let's consider the compound C6H6O2. To determine if this is an empirical formula, we need to check if the ratio of carbon (C), hydrogen (H), and oxygen (O) atoms is in the simplest whole number form.

The subscripts in the formula C6H6O2 already represent whole numbers, which suggests that this could be an empirical formula. However, to be certain, we must check if these are the simplest possible whole numbers. To do this, we divide the subscripts by the greatest common divisor (GCD) of the three numbers.

For C6H6O2, the subscripts are 6, 6, and 2. The GCD of 6, 6, and 2 is 2. Dividing each subscript by 2, we get the ratio 3:3:1. Since these are the simplest whole numbers, C6H6O2 is indeed an empirical formula.

Now, let's address the reference content provided:

1. The empirical formula of C24H12O9 is given as C8H4O3. This is correct because when we divide all the subscripts by their GCD, which is 3, we get the simplest whole number ratio of 8:4:3.

2. The empirical formula of P4H20O8 is given as PH5O2. This is also correct. The GCD of 4, 20, and 8 is 4. Dividing each subscript by 4 gives us the simplest whole number ratio of 1:5:2.

3. For a molecule with 65.5% carbon, 5.5% hydrogen, and 29.0% oxygen, and a molar mass of 110 grams/mole, we first need to determine the empirical formula. The percentages can be converted to moles by assuming a 100g sample (since percentages are parts per hundred), and then finding the simplest whole number ratio.

The moles of each element can be calculated as follows:
- Moles of C = (65.5 g C / 12.01 g/mol) ≈ 5.46 moles
- Moles of H = (5.5 g H / 1.008 g/mol) ≈ 5.45 moles
- Moles of O = (29.0 g O / 16.00 g/mol) ≈ 1.81 moles

The simplest whole number ratio is approximately 5:5:1, which gives us the empirical formula C5H5O.

To find the molecular formula, we need to consider the molar mass. The molar mass of the empirical formula C5H5O can be calculated as follows:
- Molar mass of C5H5O = (5 * 12.01) + (5 * 1.008) + (1 * 16.00) = 60.05 + 5.04 + 16.00 = 81.09 g/mol

Since the actual molar mass is 110 g/mol, we divide this by the molar mass of the empirical formula to find the multiple that relates the empirical formula to the molecular formula:
- Multiple = 110 g/mol / 81.09 g/mol ≈ 1.36

Since the multiple is not a whole number, we round it to the nearest whole number, which is 1 (assuming the empirical formula is correct and the molar mass given is accurate). This suggests that the molecular formula is the same as the empirical formula, which would be C5H5O.

However, there seems to be a discrepancy because the reference answer states the molecular formula is C6H6O2. This could be due to an error in the reference content or additional information not provided. If we were to follow the reference answer's logic, we would multiply the empirical formula C5H5O by 2 to get C10H10O2, which does not match the reference answer.

In conclusion, C6H6O2 is an empirical formula, and without additional information or correction of the molar mass, determining the exact molecular formula based on the provided data is not possible. It is crucial to ensure all data is accurate when performing such calculations.

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Molecular and Empirical FormulasQuestionAnswerWhat is the empirical formula of C24H12O9?C8H4O3What is the empirical formula of P4H20O8?PH5O2If a molecule has an empirical formula containing 65.5% carbon, 5.5% hydrogen, and 29.0% oxygen, and a molar mass of 110 grams/mole, what's the molecular formula?C6H6O210 more rowsread more >>