Multiple Choice
Which pair of compounds shares the same empirical formula?
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3. Chemical Reactions
Empirical Formula
Multiple Choice
Pentose sugars have the molecular formula . What is the empirical formula of pentose?
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Verified step by step guidance1
Identify the molecular formula given for pentose sugars: \(C_5H_{10}O_5\).
To find the empirical formula, determine the simplest whole-number ratio of atoms in the compound by dividing the subscripts of each element by their greatest common divisor (GCD).
Find the GCD of the subscripts 5 (for C), 10 (for H), and 5 (for O). The GCD is 5.
Divide each subscript by 5: Carbon: \(\frac{5}{5} = 1\), Hydrogen: \(\frac{10}{5} = 2\), Oxygen: \(\frac{5}{5} = 1\).
Write the empirical formula using these simplified subscripts: \(CH_2O\).
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