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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 49b
Chapter 2, Problem 49b

Write the empirical formula corresponding to each of the following molecular formulas: (b) C8H10

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1
Identify the greatest common divisor (GCD) of the subscripts in the molecular formula C_8H_{10}.
Divide each subscript in the molecular formula by the GCD to simplify the ratio of atoms.
For C_8H_{10}, the GCD of 8 and 10 is 2.
Divide the subscript of carbon (8) by 2 to get 4, and the subscript of hydrogen (10) by 2 to get 5.
The empirical formula is the simplest whole number ratio of atoms, which is C_4H_5.

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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 of a compound represents the simplest whole-number ratio of the elements present in that compound. It does not provide information about the actual number of atoms in a molecule but rather the relative proportions of each element. For example, the empirical formula for glucose (C6H12O6) is CH2O, indicating a 1:2:1 ratio of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.
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Empirical vs Molecular Formula

Molecular Formula

The molecular formula of a compound indicates the actual number of atoms of each element in a molecule. It provides more specific information than the empirical formula and can be derived from it by multiplying the subscripts in the empirical formula by a whole number. For instance, the molecular formula C8H10 indicates that there are 8 carbon atoms and 10 hydrogen atoms in the molecule.

Dividing by the Greatest Common Factor

To derive the empirical formula from a molecular formula, one must divide the subscripts of the molecular formula by their greatest common factor (GCF). This process simplifies the ratio of the elements to its lowest terms. For the molecular formula C8H10, the GCF of 8 and 10 is 2, leading to the empirical formula C4H5.
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Write the empirical formula corresponding to each of the following molecular formulas: (c) C4H8O2

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Write the empirical formula corresponding to each of the following molecular formulas: (a) Al2Br6

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