What does an empirical formula show?

Answer 1

the empirical formula of a compound tells you the proportions of the elements in the compound. with that information you can make some inferences about the identity of the compound. for example a compound with an empirical formula CH4 tells us that for every carbon atom there are four hydrogen atoms. this means that the compound is methane because no other hydrocarbon can have these roportions (try drawing the lewis structure for C2H8, which doesnt exist. you cant!)

Answer 2

An empirical formula for a compound shows the atomic ratios between the elements in each possible pair of elements contained in the compound. Since atomic masses are known, this indirectly shows mass ratios between the elements also.

Answer 3

the relative ratios of the elements of that compound

Answer 4

An empirical formula shows the simplest ratio of atoms between it's element in a compound. It indirectly shows a mass ratio between the elements and compound.

Answer 5

The empirical formula tells you the simplest formula for the compound. The molecular formula will be some multiple of the empirical formula, or it can be identical to the empirical formula.

Answer 6

These formulas indicates the chemical composition of a compound.