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Chapter 2: Problem 36

Define molecular formula and empirical formula. What are the similarities and differences between the empirical formula and molecular formula of a compound?

Short Answer

Expert verified
A molecular formula indicates the types and number of atoms in a molecule (e.g., \(C_6H_{12}O_6\) for glucose), while an empirical formula shows the simplest whole-number ratio of atoms in a compound (e.g., \(CH_2O\) for glucose). Both provide representation of the atoms in a compound, yet the empirical formula does not give the actual number of atoms in a single molecule unlike the molecular formula.

Step by step solution

01

Definition of Molecular Formula

A molecular formula is a representation of a molecule that uses chemical symbols to indicate the types of atoms followed by subscripts to show the number of atoms of each type in the molecule. (Example: The molecular formula for glucose is \(C_6H_{12}O_6\).)
02

Definition of Empirical Formula

An empirical formula shows the simplest whole-number ratio of atoms in a compound, irrespective of the number of atoms involved. (Example: The empirical formula for glucose is \(CH_2O\).)
03

Similarities Between Empirical and Molecular Formula

Both the empirical and molecular formulae provide representation of atoms in a compound. They both show the composition of the compound in terms of the element(s) present.
04

Differences Between Empirical and Molecular Formula

The key difference between empirical and molecular formulae lies in the information they provide. While a molecular formula tells us the number of each type of atom in a molecule, an empirical formula only tells us the simplest ratio of atoms present. An empirical formula does not provide information about the actual number of atoms in a single molecule, whereas a molecular formula does.

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