Can empirical and molecular formulas be the same?

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Can empirical and molecular formulas be the same?

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Answer 1 · 2016-08-19T15:28:16

Absolutely; in fact most ionic substances have the same empirical and molecular formulae.

Explanation:

As you know, the empirical formula is the simplest whole number ratio defining constituent atoms in a species. The molecular formula is some multilple of this empirical formula, and the multiple may be $1$ $1$ .

The odd-numbered alkanes, $C H_{4}$ $CH_4$ , $C_{3} H_{8}$ $C_3H_8$ , $C_{5} H_{12}$ $C_5H_12$ , $C_{7} H_{16}$ $C_7H_16$ , etc. all fit this criterion.

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Can empirical and molecular formulas be the same?

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