Molecular Formula VS.

Empirical Formula
 What is a molecular formula?

What is an empirical formula?

What is the difference between the two?

Molecular formula
 sometimes referred to as regular formula
 is actually how many atoms of each element are in a
compound

Empirical formula
 Gives the lowest whole number ratio of the atoms of the
elements in a compound
Molecular Formula Empirical Formula
(ethene) C4H8 CH2
(glucose) C6H12O6 CH2O
C5H12 C5H12
Small salad for 2 people
1 Tbsp. vinegar : 3 Tbsp. olive oil
Large salad for 4 people
2 Tbsp. vinegar : 6 Tbsp. olive oil

Empirical formula is the essential recipe!

To calculate an empirical formula, we need to
find the mole-mole ratio of the elements of the
compounds.

MOLE RATIOS MUST BE WHOLE

NUMBERS!!!
Example 1: Compound is 11.19% Hydrogen and
88.81% Oxygen. Find the empirical formula.
Example 2: Compound is 40.0% Carbon, 6.7%
Hydrogen, and 53.3% Oxygen. Find the
empirical formula.
Example 3: DDT is 47.44% Carbon, 2.56%
Hydrogen, and 50.0% Chlorine. Find the
empirical formula.
Example 4: Calculate the molecular formula of a
compound when the empirical formula is C2H5.
Its molecular mass is 58.0 g/mol.
Group Drill
1. 0.545g of Aluminum burns completely in
Oxygen, producing 1.030g of aluminum oxide.
Find the empirical formula of aluminum oxide.

2. What is the molecular formula of a compound

that is 85.7% Carbon and 14.3% Hydrogen by
mass if the molecular mass is 28 g/mol?
In your quiz notebook, answer the following questions:

1-2. Differentiate molecular formula from empirical formula.

(2 points)

3-6. Determine the empirical formula of a compound that contains

43.66% Manganese an 56.34% Chlorine. (4 points)

7-10. Determine the molecular formula of a compound with the

empirical formula CF2 and a molecular mass of 200.04 g/mol. (4
points)