Mass % of carbon = 48.64 % (given)
Mass % of hydrogen = 8.16 % (given)
So, the mass percent of oxygen = [tex]100-(48.64+8.16) = 43.2[/tex]%
Moles of each element is determined as:
Number of moles = [tex]\frac{given mass}{Molar mass}[/tex]
[tex]\frac{48.64}{12} = 4.05 mole[/tex]
[tex]\frac{8.16}{1} = 8.16 mole[/tex]
[tex]\frac{43.2}{16} = 2.7 mole[/tex]
Dividing with the smallest mole value to calculate the mole ratio:
[tex]C_{\frac{4.05}{2.7}} = C_{1.5}[/tex]
[tex]H_{\frac{8.16}{2.7}} = H_{3.0}[/tex]
[tex]O_{\frac{2.7}{2.7}} = O_{1}[/tex]
So, the formula is [tex]C_{1.5}H_3O_1[/tex].
Converting the formula into whole number by multiplying with 2.
Hence, the empirical formula is [tex]C_{3}H_6O_2[/tex]
