A compound containing only carbon and hydrogen is analyzed, and is found to contain 20.11% hydrogen on a mass basis. How can the empirical formula of the compound be calculated?

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A compound containing only carbon and hydrogen is analyzed, and is found to contain 20.11% hydrogen on a mass basis. How can the empirical formula of the compound be calculated?

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Answer 1 · 2015-12-10T19:08:18

We assume 100 g of hydrocarbon. The empirical formula is the simplest whole number ratio that defines constituent atoms in a species.

Explanation:

In 100 g hydrocarbon, there are $\frac{20.11 \cdot g}{1.00794 \cdot g \cdot m o l^{- 1}} = 19.95$ $(20.11*g)/(1.00794*g*mol^(-1)) = 19.95$ $m o l$ $mol$ $H$ $H$ , and $\frac{79.89 \cdot g}{12.011 \cdot g \cdot m o l^{- 1}} = 19.95$ $(79.89*g)/(12.011*g*mol^(-1)) = 19.95$ $m o l$ $mol$ $C = 6.65 \cdot m o l$ $C=6.65*mol$ $C$ $C$ .

We then divide thru by the lowest ratio to give the empirical formula, $C H_{3}$ $CH_3$ .

How did I know that $% C$ $%C$ was $79.89$ $79.89$ ?

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A compound containing only carbon and hydrogen is analyzed, and is found to contain 20.11% hydrogen on a mass basis. How can the empirical formula of the compound be calculated?

1 Answer

Explanation:

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