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Ch.2 - Atoms, Molecules, and Ions
Brown - Chemistry: The Central Science 14th Edition
Brown14th EditionChemistry: The Central ScienceISBN: 9780134414232Not the one you use?Change textbook
All textbooksBrown 14th EditionCh.2 - Atoms, Molecules, and IonsProblem 49c
Chapter 2, Problem 49c

Write the empirical formula corresponding to each of the following molecular formulas: (c) C4H8O2

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1
Identify the greatest common divisor (GCD) of the subscripts in the molecular formula C₄H₈O₂.
Divide each subscript in the molecular formula by the GCD to simplify the ratio of atoms.
Write the empirical formula using the simplified ratio of atoms obtained from the previous step.
Ensure that the empirical formula represents the simplest whole number ratio of the elements present in the compound.
Verify that the empirical formula cannot be further simplified by checking if the subscripts have any common factors other than 1.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Empirical Formula

The empirical formula represents the simplest whole-number ratio of atoms of each element in a compound. It is derived from the molecular formula by dividing the subscripts of each element by their greatest common divisor. For example, the empirical formula of C4H8O2 is C2H4O, indicating that for every two carbon atoms, there are four hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom.
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Molecular Formula

The molecular formula provides the actual number of atoms of each element in a molecule of a compound. It can be the same as the empirical formula or a multiple of it. In the case of C4H8O2, the molecular formula indicates that there are four carbon atoms, eight hydrogen atoms, and two oxygen atoms in each molecule, which can be simplified to its empirical form.

Greatest Common Divisor (GCD)

The greatest common divisor is the largest integer that divides the subscripts of the elements in a molecular formula without leaving a remainder. It is essential for simplifying the molecular formula to its empirical form. For C4H8O2, the GCD of the subscripts 4, 8, and 2 is 2, which is used to reduce the formula to C2H4O.
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