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What is an empirical formula?

Updated: 8/10/2023
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6y ago

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The chemical formula in which the subscripts are given in the smallest ratio.

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Gusto

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4y ago
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Gusto

Lvl 6
4y ago

A chemical formula that shows the relative number of each type of atom in a molecule, using the smallest possible ratio - Apex

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6y ago

Empirical Formula: simplest, whole number ratio of moles of elements in a compound Example: molecular formula: C6H2O4 (each mole is divisible by 2) so the emperical formula is: C3HO2 (Note: H2O is both the empirical and molecular formula for water) See related question below for information on how to determine an empirical formula.
CH2

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16y ago

In chemistry, the empirical formula of a chemical compound is a simple expression of the relative number of each type of atom in it. An empirical formula makes no reference to isomerism, structure, or absolute number of atoms. Empirical formulae are the standard for most ionic compounds, such as CaCl2, and for macromolecules, such as SiO2. The term empirical refers to the process of elemental analysis, a technique of analytical chemistry used to determine the relative percent composition of a pure chemical substance by element. In contrast, the molecular formula identifies a multiple of the smallest whole number ratio in moles. For example, n-hexane, a chemical compound has the molecular formula CH3CH2CH2CH2CH2CH3, implying that it has a straight chain structure, 6 carbon atoms, and 14 hydrogen atoms. Hexane's molecular formula is C6H14, and its empirical formula would be C3H7 showing a C:H ratio of 3:7.

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11y ago

It is the simplest formula of a chemical compound which represents the element present of the compound and also represent the simplest ratio between the elements of the compound.

Examples

The empirical formula of benzene is "CH". It indicates that the benzene molecule is composed of two elements carbon and hydrogen and the ratio between these two elements is 1:1.

The empirical formula of glucose is "CH2O". This formula represents that glucose molecule is composed of three elements carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. The ratio between carbon and oxygen is equal but hydrogen is double.
The lowest whole number ratio of atoms in a compound.

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13y ago

An empirical formula expresses the simplest ratio of the elements involved. An example is hydrogen peroxide, which has the formula and an empirical formula of .

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9y ago

An empirical formula can be found in chemistry. When doing a empirical formula, you will find the simplest positive integer ratio of atoms that are present in a specific compound.

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11y ago

the empirical formula of a compound is the chemical formula that gives the simplest whole-number ratio of atom of each element e.g Ch2o ( glucose)

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12y ago

A chemical formula with the smallest whole number ratio of subscripts

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9y ago

A formula that gives the simplest whole-number ratio of atoms in a compound.

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