Styrene has the empirical formula $CH$ . It has a molar mass of 104 g. What is the multiplier to get the molecular formula?

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Answer 1 · 2016-05-06T05:28:43

The molecular formula is always a whole number multiple of the empirical formula. Of course, the multiple might be $1$ .

Given what I have said:

$("Empirical formula")xxn="Molecular formula"$

$(CH)xxn=104*g*mol^-1$

$(12.01+1.01)*g*mol^-1xxn=104*g*mol^-1$

Clearly, $n=8$ , and the molecular formula is $C_8H_8$ .

Of course this is reasonable inasmuch that we know that the styrene monomer is $C_6H_5CH=CH_2$ , i.e. vinyl benzene.

Styrene has the empirical formula CHCH. It has a molar mass of 104 g. What is the multiplier to get the molecular formula?