How would you calculate the empirical formula of acetic acid (CH3COOH)?

Question

How would you calculate the empirical formula of acetic acid (CH3COOH)?

1 Answer

Impact of this question

59049 views around the world

You can reuse this answer
Creative Commons License

Answer 1 · 2015-10-23T22:30:03

The empirical formula for acetic acid is ${CH}_{2} O$ $"CH"_2"O"$ .

Explanation:

${CH}_{3} COOH$ $"CH"_3"COOH"$ can be written as $C_{2} H_{4} O_{2}$ $"C"_2"H"_4"O"_2"$ .

An empirical formula represents the lowest whole number ratio of elements in a compound.

The subscripts in the formula $C_{2} H_{4} O_{2}$ $"C"_2"H"_4"O"_2"$ can be reduced to the simplest whole number ratio by dividing the subscripts in the molecular formula by $2$ $2$ .

The empirical formula of acetic acid is ${CH}_{2} O$ $"CH"_2"O"$ .

Science

Math

Humanities

... and beyond

How would you calculate the empirical formula of acetic acid (CH3COOH)?

1 Answer

Explanation:

Related questions

Impact of this question