What is the empirical formula for vanillin?

Answer 1

Vanillin, the dominant flavoring in vanilla, contains C, H, and O. when 1.05 g of this substance is completely combusted, 2.43 g of CO2 and 0.50 g of H2O are produced. What is the empirical formula of Vanillin?

Find grams, using molar mass ratios:

2.43 g CO2 X (12.01 g C / 44.01 g CO2) = 0.663 grams of Carbon

0.50 g H2 X (2.02 g H / 18.02 g H2O) = 0.0560 grams Hydrogen

1.05 g total - 0.663 g Carbon - 0.0560 g Hydrogen = 0.331 grams Oxygen

Find moles, using molar masses:

0.663 grams of Carbon / 12.01 g/mol = 0.0552 moles C

0.0560 grams Hydrogen / 1.01 g/mol = 0.0554 moles H

0.331 grams of Oxygen / 16.0g / mol = 0.0207 moles O

Ratio the moles:

0.0552 moles C / 0.0207 = 2.67 mol C

0.0554 moles H / 0.0207 = 2.68 mol H

0.0207 moles O / 0.0207 = 1 mol O

Triple to get whole numbers [(2 & 2/3) times 3 = 8]:

C8 H8 O3

That's your answer: C8 H8 O3

Answer 2

Vanilline: C8H8O3

4-Hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde

C6H3(4-OH)(3-OCH3)(1-CHO)

Answer 3

The empirical formula for vanillin is C8H8O3.