How to Determine the

Empirical and Molecular

Formula
Empirical Molecular Formula

Empirical Formula gives the simplest whole

number proportion in which atoms combine
to produce compounds.
These proportions are always in the form of
a whole number.
 Steps to determine the empirical formula:

 Step 1: If the data were given in the form of % composition, base your computation on a
100g sample of the compound.
 Step 2: Convert the given mass of each element to mole. (no. of mol = mass of the
element/ atomic mass of the element)
 Step 3: Divide the mole of each element present by the smallest mole value. Express the
quotient with one decimal point. If any of the elements has 0.5 on its quotient multiply
each by 2.
 Step 4: The quotient in step 3 becomes the subscript of each element, the result is the
empirical formula.
How to obtain the molecular formula?

 This formula is obtained by dividing the molecular mass given by

the empirical mass.
 The quotient mass be a whole number, then multiply it to the
subscript of the elements in the empirical formula.
Determine the empirical formula of bismuth oxide if the
percentage composition during the chemical analysis are as
follows: 89.70% Bi and 10.30% O

Mass No. of moles = X 2 if n/smallest

Atomic mass/ Empirical
Elements (assuming mass/atomic n/smallest n n has 0.5 in the
mass number formula
100g) mass quotient

89.70/209 = 0.4292/0.4292 =
Bi 89.70g 209 1x2=2
0.4292 1
10.30/16 = 0.6438/0.4292 =
o 10.30g 16 1.5x2=3
0.6438 1.5
  By the chemical analysis, the composition of potassium phosphate
is 55.19% k, 14.63% P, and 30.19% O. Determine the empirical
formula of compound.

Mass No. of moles = X 2 if n/smallest

Atomic mass/ Empirical
Elements (assuming mass/atomic n/smallest n n has 0.5 in the
mass number formula
100g) mass quotient

K 55.19 g 39 55.19/39=1.42 1.42/0.47= 3

P 14.63 g 31 14.63/31=0.47 0.47/0.47=1

0 30.19 g 16 30.19/16=1.89 1.89/0.47=4