Multiple Choice
A compound is found to be 83.7% carbon and 16.3% hydrogen by mass. What is the empirical formula of this compound?
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3. Chemical Reactions
Empirical Formula
Multiple Choice
What is the empirical formula for a compound that contains 50.05% sulfur and 49.95% oxygen by mass?
A
S_2O
B
SO
C
S_2O_3
D
SO_2
Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Assume you have 100 grams of the compound. This means you have 50.05 grams of sulfur (S) and 49.95 grams of oxygen (O).
Step 2: Convert the mass of each element to moles by dividing by their respective atomic masses. Use the atomic mass of sulfur as approximately 32.07 g/mol and oxygen as approximately 16.00 g/mol. Calculate moles of sulfur: \(\frac{50.05}{32.07}\) and moles of oxygen: \(\frac{49.95}{16.00}\).
Step 3: Determine the simplest whole number ratio of moles of sulfur to moles of oxygen by dividing both mole values by the smaller of the two mole amounts.
Step 4: If the ratio is not a whole number, multiply both numbers by the smallest factor that converts them into whole numbers (e.g., 2, 3, 4, etc.).
Step 5: Write the empirical formula using the whole number mole ratios as subscripts for sulfur and oxygen, respectively.
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