SL & HL Questions on Empirical and molecular formulas

1. A 10.000 g sample of an oxide of copper was found to contain 8.882 g of copper. Determine the
empirical formula of the copper oxide.

2. A salt was found to contain 11.33 % carbon, 43.38 % sodium and 45.29 % oxygen by mass.
Determine the empirical formula of the salt.

3. A hydrocarbon contains 92.24 % carbon by mass and has a molar mass of 78.12 g mol-1. Determine
the empirical formula and molecular formula of the hydrocarbon.

4. Aspirin contains 60.00 % carbon, 4.48 % hydrogen and 35.52 % oxygen. It has a molar mass of
180.17 g mol-1. Determine the empirical and molecular formula of aspirin.

5. An organic compound has a molar mass less than 100 g mol-1. The percentage composition by
mass of this compound is: 71.38 % carbon, 9.60 % hydrogen with the remainder being oxygen.
Determine the empirical and molecular formula of this compound.

6. A piece of magnesium with a mass of 5.867 g was heated in a crucible which was open to the air.
After the magnesium had combusted and allowed to cool down the product was found to have a
mass of 8.956 g.

i. Determine the empirical formula of the magnesium oxide formed.

ii. The actual empirical formula of magnesium oxide is MgO.

Suggest three possible reasons why the value obtained in the experiment described above did
not produce the correct formula.

© Dr Geoffrey Neuss, InThinking

http://www.thinkib.net/chemistry
Answers to questions on Empirical and molecular formulas
1.
Element Amount / mol Simplest ratio Empirical formula
Cu 8.882/63.55 = 0.1398 0.1398/0.0699 = 2 Cu2O
O 1.118/16.00 = 0.0699 0.0699/0.0699 = 1

2. Element Amount / mol Simplest ratio Empirical formula

C 11.33/12.01 = 0.9434 0.9434/0.9434 = 1
Na 43.38/22.99 = 1.887 1.887/0.9434 = 2 Na2CO3
O 45.29/16.00 = 2.831 2.831/0.9434 = 3

3. Element Amount / mol Simplest ratio Empirical formula

C 92.24/12.01 = 7.680 7.680/7.680 = 1 CH
H 7.76/1.01 = 7.683 7.683/7.680 = 1
Since Mr (78.12) = 6 x relative empirical mass (13.02) the molecular formula is C6H6.

4. Element Amount / mol Simplest ratio Empirical formula

C 60.00/12.01 = 4.996 4.996/2.220 = 2.25
H 4.48/1.01 = 4.44 4.44/2.220 = 2.00 C9H8O4
O 35.52/16.00 = 2.220 2.220/2.220 = 1.00

Since Mr (180.17) = relative empirical mass so the molecular formula is C9H8O4

5. Element Amount / mol Simplest ratio Empirical formula

C 71.38/12.01 = 4.996 5.943/1.189 = 5.00
H 9.60/1.01 = 4.44 9.505/1.189 = 8.00 C5H8O
O 19.02/16.00 = 2.220 1.189/1.189 = 1.00

Mr (< 100); relative empirical mass = 84.13 so the molecular formula is C5H8O

6. i. Empirical formula is Mg5O4.

ii. Any three from:
Some of the product escaped during the combustion.
Not all the magnesium reacted.
The magnesium also reacted with the nitrogen in the air to form some magnesium nitride.
The crucible was not inert and was involved in the reaction.
The magnesium used was not pure.