% COMPOSITION,
MOLECULAR AND
EMPIRICAL FORMULA
Learning Targets
1. Differentiate empirical from
molecular formula.
2. Determine empirical formula based
on % composition
3. Determine molecular formula when
empirical formula is given
4. Calculate % composition of
compounds
% Composition
% Composition
Example 1: Calculate the % composition of C3H6O3
STEP 1: Calculate Molar Mass (MM) of C3H6O3
3C(12.01) + 6H(1.008) + 3O(16.00) = 90.08 g/mol
STEP 2: Calculate % Composition for each element
%C = 36.03 g C x 100 = 40.00% C
90.08 g
%H = 6.048 g H x 100 = 6.714% H
90.08 g
%O = 48.00 g O x 100 = 53.29% O
90.08 g
2. Determine the
% C in C7H14O2
Step 1. Get the Molar mass C7H14O2 =
7C(12.01) + 14H(1.008) + 2O(16.00) = 130.18
g/mol
Step 2. Calculate the %C
Total C = 7C(12.01) = 84.07g
% C = total g C x 100
total g
% C = 84.07 g C x 100 = 64.58 % C
130.18 g
Empirical Formula
- The smallest whole
number ratio of the
elements in a compound.
- C 2H6 = CH3
- C6H27 = C2H9
Calculating Empirical Formula
1. If given % composition, assume 100 g of
sample
2. Convert mass of each element to moles
(gmole)
3. Divide each of these numbers by the
smallest number
4. If necessary, multiply by the smallest
number possible to make each a whole
number
5. These whole numbers are the subscripts
in the empirical formula called mole ratio
The percentage composition of a compound is found
to be 32.4% sodium, 22.5% sulfur, 45.1 % oxygen.
Determine the empirical formula.
Step 1: Assume 100 g of Sample
32.4% Na 32.4 g Na
22.5% S 22.5 g S
45.1% O 45.1 g O
Step 2: Convert grams to moles
The percentage composition of a compound is found
to be 32.4% sodium, 22.5% sulfur, 45.1 % oxygen.
Determine the empirical formula.
Step 3: Divide by smallest mole
1.41 mol Na 0.702 mol S 2.82 mol O
Step 4: If necessary, multiply by the smallest
number possible to make each a whole number
Step 5: Write Empirical Formula
Na2SO4
The percentage composition of acetic acid is found
to be 39.9% C, 6.7% H, and 53.4% O. Determine the
empirical formula of acetic acid.
Step 1. Assume 100 g of Sample:
39.9% C 39.9 g C
6.7% H 6.7 g H
53.4% O 53.4 g O
Step 2. Convert grams to moles
The percentage composition of acetic acid is found
to be 39.9% C, 6.7% H, and 53.4% O. Determine the
empirical formula of acetic acid.
Step 3: Divide by smallest mol
3.32 mol C 6.65 mol H 3.34 mol O
Step 4: If necessary, multiply by the smallest
number possible to make each a whole number
Step 5: Write Empirical Formula
CH2O
Try This
Phosphoric acid is found in some soft
drinks. A sample of phosphoric acid
contains 0.3086 g of hydrogen, 3.161 g of
phosphorus, and 6.531 g of oxygen. What
is the empirical formula for phosphoric
acid?
H3PO4
13
A sample of phosphoric acid contains 0.3086 g of
hydrogen, 3.161 g of phosphorus, and 6.531 g of
oxygen.
H : 0.3083g / 1.008 g/mole = 0.3062/0.102 = 3
P: 3.161g / 31 g/mole = 0.102/0.102 = 1
O: 6.531g / 16 g/mole = 0.408/0.102 = 4
H3PO4
BRAIN BREAK: The Crab
• Directions:
1. Stand Up
2. Put your arms out in front of you and touch your
fingers and thumbs together.
3. Now put lower your middle fingers so that the
knuckles touch. Keep them flat against each other.
4. Now un-touch and retouch your thumbs.
5. Now un-touch and retouch your index fingers.
6. Now un-touch and retouch your ring fingers.
7. Lastly, un-touch and retouch your pinkies.
Good luck. This one was difficult.
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dp0sa7Z72R8
Converting Decimals to Whole
Numbers
When the number of moles for an element is a
decimal, all the moles are multiplied by a small
integer to obtain whole number.
Aspirin is 60.0% C, 4.5 % H and 35.5 % O.
Calculate its empirical formula.
Step 1. Assume 100 g of Sample:
60.0% C 60.0 g C
4.5% H 4.5 g H
35.5% O 35.5 g O
Step 2. Convert grams to moles
Aspirin is 60.0% C, 4.5 % H and 35.5 % O.
Calculate its empirical formula.
Step 3: Divide by smallest mol
5.00 mol C 4.46 mol H 2.22 mol O
Step 4: If necessary, multiply by the smallest
number possible to make each a whole number
Step 5: Write Empirical Formula
C 9 H8 O4
Your Turn
• A compound consists of 72.2%
magnesium and 27.8% nitrogen by
mass. What is the empirical formula of
the compound?
Mg3N2
19
A compound consists of 72.2% magnesium and
27.8% nitrogen by mass. What is the empirical
formula of the compound ?
Mg: 72.g/24 g/mole = 2.96/1.98 = 1.5
x2= 3
N : 27g / 14 g/mole = 1.98/1.98 = 1 x
2 =2
Mg3N2
Molecular Formulas
The molecular formula
•Shows the actual number of each
type of atom in a compound
•Not always the simplest formula
Ex: C6H12O6 = glucose
Contains 6 atoms of carbon, 12
atoms of hydrogen and 6 atoms of
oxygen in 1 molecule
Calculating Molecular Formula From Empirical
Formula
• Find the empirical formula mass by
adding up the weights of the atoms in the
empirical formula.
• Divide the molecular mass by the
formula mass. This number tells you how
many times the empirical formula is repeated
to make the molecular formula.
Calculating Molecular Formula From Empirical
Formula
Your Turn
• Ibuprofen, a common headache remedy,
has an empirical formula of C7H9O and a
molar mass of approximately 215 g/mol.
What is the molecular formula for
ibuprofen?
C14H18O2
24
Calculating Molecular Formula &
Empirical Formula
A mixture of cyclopropane gas and oxygen is used in
an anaesthetic. Cyclopropane contains 85.7% C, and
14.3% H by mass. The molecular mass is 42.0 g/mol.
What is the empirical and molecular formula of the
cyclopropane?
=1C Empirical
CH2
=2H
Calculating Molecular Formula &
Empirical Formula
A mixture of cyclopropane gas and oxygen is used in an anaesthetic.
Cyclopropane contains 85.7% C, and 14.3% H by mass. The molecular
mass is about 42.0 g/mol. What is the empirical and molecular
formula of the cyclopropane?
• Find the empirical formula mass
• For CH2, the formula weight is 12.01 + 2 × 1.01 =
14.03 g/mol.
• Divide the molecular weight by the
formula weight. In this case, the
molecular formula weight divided by the
empirical formula weight is 42.0/14.03 ≈ 3.
• 3 x CH2 C3H6.
YOUR TURN
Epinephrine (adrenaline) is a hormone
secreted into the bloodstream in times
of danger and stress. It is 59.0% carbon,
7.1% hydrogen, 26.2% oxygen, and 7.7%
nitrogen by mass. Its molar mass is
about 180 g/mol. Find the empirical and
molecular formulas of epinephrine.
Empirical Molecular
C9H13O3N C9H13O3N
27
Epinephrine (adrenaline) is a hormone secreted into the
bloodstream in times of danger and stress. It is 59.0%
carbon, 7.1% hydrogen, 26.2% oxygen, and 7.7% nitrogen
by mass. Its molar mass is about 180 g/mol. Find the
empirical and molecular formulas of epinephrine.
C: 59g/12 g/mole = 4.92/0.55 = 8.95 = 9
H: 7.1 g/1 g/mole = 7.1/0.55 = 12.9 = 13
O: 26.2 g/16 g/mole = 1.64/0.55 = 2.98 = 3
N: 7.7g/14 g/mole = 0.55/0.55 = 1
C9H13O3N
Computed molar mass = (12 x 9) + (1 x 13) + (16 x 3) + (14
x 1) = 183
180/183 = 0.98 or 1. Molecular formula is also C9H13O3N
