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Empirical and Molecular Formula
Empirical and Molecular Formula
Key Concepts
Empirical Formula of a compound shows the ratio of elements present in a compound.
Molecular Formula of a compound shows how many atoms of each element are present in a
molecule of the compound.
The empirical formula mass of a compound refers to the sum of the atomic masses of the
elements present in the empirical formula.
The Molecular Mass (formula mass, formula weight or molecular weight) of a compound is
a multiple of the empirical formula mass.
MM = n x empirical formula mass
Empirical Formula can be calculated from the percentage (or percent) composition of a
compound.
The empirical formula mass of this compound is: 12.0 + (2 x 1.0) = 14.0 g/mol
If we know the molecular mass of the compound is 28.0 g/mol then we can find the molecular
formula for the compound.
MM = n x empirical formula mass
28.0 = n x 14.0
n=2
So the molecular formula for the compound is 2 x empirical formula, ie, 2 x (CH2) which is C2H4
There are many compounds that can have the empirical formula CH2.
These include:
element Cu Cl
mass in grams 47.25 52.75
r.a.m 63.6 35.5
moles = mass ÷ r.a.m 47.25 ÷ 63.6 = 0.74 52.75 ÷ 35.5 = 1.49
divide throughout by lowest number 0.74 ÷ 0.74 = 1 1.49 ÷ 0.74 = 2.01 = 2
Empirical formula for this compound is CuCl2
Example 2
A compound with a molecular mass of 34.0g/mol is known to contain 5.88% hydrogen and 94.12%
oxygen.
Find the molecular formula for this compound.
element H O
mass in grams 5.88 94.12
r.a.m 1.0 16.0
moles = mass ÷ r.a.m 5.88 ÷ 1.0 = 5.88 94.12 ÷ 16.0 = 5.88
divide throughout by the smallest number 5.88 ÷ 5.88 = 1 5.88 ÷ 5.88 = 1
Empirical formula is HO