Question

What is the empirical formula of a compound made up of 80% oxygen and 20% hydrogen?

Answer 1

I think you will need to check your sources.......

Explanation:

We assume a `100*g` mass of compound, and we interrogate its atomic composition by dividing thru by the ATOMIC masses of each constituent.....

`"Moles of oxygen"=(80.0*g)/(15.999*g*mol^-1)=5.00*mol`

`"Moles of hydrogen"=(20.0*g)/(1.00794*g*mol^-1)=20.00*mol`

We divide thru by the LOWEST molar quantity to give and empirical formula of.....

`H_4O`.....

This is not a valid chemical formula.....and I would check your source.