The empirical formula is C₂H₅.
Oxygen is used to burn a chemical during a combustion reaction. The products will be CO₂ and H₂O if the chemical comprises C and H. The products are the same if the compound additionally contains o, but less external O₂ is required for combustion. The same methodology is used to get the empirical formula: we measure the amount of CO and H₂O produced and work backward to determine the moles of C and H (and O by difference if that is the case).
The products are 4.554 g of CO₂ and 2.332 g of H₂O :
The amount of C in moles is:
= 4.554 g CO₂ × ( 1 mol CO₂ / 44.01 g ) × ( 1 mol C / 1 mol CO₂ )
= 0.1035 mol C
Similarly,
2.332 g H₂O × ( 1 mol H₂O / 18.02 g ) × ( 2 mol H / 1 mol H₂O ) = 0.2578 H
From the combustion of the compound, we obtained all the carbon and hydrogen. Hence, the ratios are:
C : ( 0.1035 / 0.1035 ) = 1
H : (0.2578 / 0.1035 ) = 2.49
Therefore, CH₂.₅
When we multiply CH₂.₅ by 2, we get C₂H₅.
The empirical formula of the compound is C₂H₅.
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