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Chapter 2: Problem 81

(a) What is a hydrocarbon? (b) Pentane is the alkane with a chain of five carbon atoms. Write a structural formula for this compound and determine its molecular and empirical formulas.

Short Answer

Expert verified
(a) A hydrocarbon is a chemical compound consisting only of hydrogen and carbon atoms, often serving as fuel sources in organic materials like petroleum, natural gas, and coal. (b) The structural formula for pentane is CH3-CH2-CH2-CH2-CH3. Its molecular formula is C5H12, and because it is already in its simplest ratio, the empirical formula is also C5H12.

Step by step solution

01

(a) Defining a hydrocarbon

A hydrocarbon is a chemical compound that consists only of hydrogen and carbon atoms. These compounds can be found in organic materials such as petroleum, natural gas, and coal, and they often serve as fuel sources.
02

(b) Writing a structural formula for pentane

Pentane, as mentioned in the exercise, is an alkane with a chain of five carbon atoms. To draw its structural formula, we need to connect the carbon atoms in a chain, with each carbon atom bonding to the necessary number of hydrogen atoms. In pentane, each of the two end carbon atoms is bonded to three hydrogen atoms, while the remaining three carbon atoms are each bonded to two hydrogen atoms. So, the structural formula for pentane is as follows: CH3-CH2-CH2-CH2-CH3
03

Determining the molecular formula for pentane

The molecular formula of a compound shows the actual number of atoms of each element present in the compound. In the case of pentane, there are five carbon atoms and twelve hydrogen atoms. Therefore, the molecular formula of pentane is C5H12.
04

Determining the empirical formula for pentane

The empirical formula of a compound represents the simplest whole-number ratio of the elements in the compound. Since the molecular formula of pentane is already in its simplest ratio, the empirical formula is the same as the molecular formula: C5H12.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Discovering which of the three subatomic particles proved to be the most difficult-the proton, neutron, or electron? Why?

Naturally occurring lead has the following isotopic abundances: $$ \begin{array}{lcc} \hline \text { Isotope } & \text { Abundance (\%) } & \text { Atomic mass (u) } \\ \hline{ }^{204} \mathrm{~Pb} & 1.4 & 203.9730 \\ { }^{206} \mathrm{~Pb} & 24.1 & 205.9744 \\ { }^{207} \mathrm{~Pb} & 22.1 & 206.9759 \\ { }^{208} \mathrm{~Pb} & 52.4 & 207.9766 \\ \hline \end{array} $$ (a) What is the average atomic mass of \(\mathrm{Pb}\) ? (b) Sketch the mass spectrum of \(\mathrm{Pb}\).

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