Relationship between Empirical and Molecular Formulae

Empirical formula of glucose is CH2O

Molecular formula of glucose is C6H12O6
The molecular forumula shows that glucose molecules
actually contain 6 C atoms, 12 H atoms and 6 O atoms.
The empirical formula shows proportions of each type of
atom in the compound.
Percentage Composition by Mass
The percent composition of a compound tells us the portion of the
total mass from each of the elements making it up.

Example: A compound contains 40.00% carbon, 6.73%

hydrogen, and 53.27 % oxygen by mass.
a. Determine the empirical formula of this compound.
Find moles of each type of atom.
40.00g/12g/mol =

3.33 mol Carbon

6.73g/1g/mol

6.73 mol Hydrogen

3.33 mol Oxygen

53.27g/16g/mol =
CH2O

b. The molar mass of this compound is 180g/mol. Find its

Molecular Formula.
180

30

180/30 = 6 so Multiply each subscript by 6

C6H12O6
Example 2:
Find empirical formula of potassium sulphate containing by
mass:
44.8% K, 18.4% S
36.8% O
Solving this problem
44.8 g / 39 g/mol =

1.15

mol K

18.4 g / 32 g/mol =

0.575

mol S

36.8 g / 16 g/mol =

2.3

mol O

To get the whole number ration, divide all 3 numbers by the smallest
number among these, 0.575: