Benzene has the empirical formula CH and an experimental molar mass of 78 \(\mathrm{g} / \mathrm{mol} .\) What is its molecular formula?

Short Answer

Expert verified
The molecular formula of benzene is \(C6H6\).

Step by step solution

01

Calculation of the molar mass of Empirical formula

First, calculate the molar mass of the empirical formula, CH. Use the periodic table to find the atomic masses of carbon (C) and hydrogen (H), which are approximately 12 g/mol and 1 g/mol respectively. The molar mass of CH is therefore \(12 g/mol + 1 g/mol = 13 g/mol\).
02

Calculate the multiple

Next, find the multiple by which the molar mass of the empirical formula will equate to the given experimental molar mass. This is done by dividing the experimental molar mass by the molar mass of the empirical formula: \(78 g/mol ÷ 13 g/mol = 6\). This means the molecular formula contains 6 times the number of atoms as the empirical formula.
03

Determine the molecular formula

Finally, multiply the subscripts in the empirical formula by the multiple obtained in the previous step to get the molecular formula. In this case, multiplying the subscripts in CH by 6 gives \(C6H6\). Therefore, the molecular formula of benzene is \(C6H6\).

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.

Sign-up for free