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Key Concepts in Chemistry

Empirical and molecular formulae

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Overview

Empirical formulae of glucose, hydrogen peroxide and butane, going from empirical formula and relative molecular mass to molecular formula, and the crucible experiment that finds the formula of magnesium oxide.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Key term

How is a molecular formula obtained from an empirical formula and a relative molecular mass?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    Give the empirical formula of glucose, C₆H₁₂O₆.

    Model answer

    CH₂O.

  2. 2

    Give the empirical formula of hydrogen peroxide, H₂O₂.

    Model answer

    HO.

  3. 3

    Give the empirical formula of butane, C₄H₁₀.

    Model answer

    C₂H₅.

  4. 4

    How is a molecular formula obtained from an empirical formula and a relative molecular mass?

    Model answer

    Divide the relative molecular mass by the empirical formula mass and multiply every number in the formula by the answer.

  5. 5

    A compound has the empirical formula CH₂ and a relative molecular mass of 42. Determine its molecular formula. Relative atomic masses: C = 12, H = 1.

    Model answer

    CH₂ has a mass of 14 and 42 ÷ 14 = 3, so the molecular formula is C₃H₆.

  6. 6

    A compound has the empirical formula CH₂O and a relative molecular mass of 180. Determine its molecular formula.

    Model answer

    CH₂O has a mass of 30 and 180 ÷ 30 = 6, so the molecular formula is C₆H₁₂O₆.

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Key Concepts in Chemistry
States of Matter and Mixtures
Chemical Changes
Extracting Metals and Equilibria

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