Empirical Formula &
Molecular Formula
1
Atomic mass unit (AMU or
amu)
1/12 mass of the 12C isotope
12
C = 12 amu
FORMULA WEIGHT (FW)
• Sum of the atomic weights for the atoms in a chemical
formula
• So, the formula weight of calcium chloride, CaCl 2,
would be
Ca: 1(40.1 amu)
+ Cl: 2(35.5 amu)
111.1 amu
• These are generally reported for ionic compounds
MOLECULAR WEIGHT (MW)
• Sum of the atomic weights of the atoms in a
molecule
• For the molecule ethane, C2H6, the molecular
weight would be
C: 2(12.0 amu)
+ H: 6(1.0 amu)
30.0 amu
Empirical Formula
A formula that gives the simplest whole-
number ratio of the atoms of each element in a
compound
Molecular Empirical
Formula Formula
H2O2 HO
C6H12O6 CH2O
CH3O CH3O
C2H4O2 CH2O
STEPS TO DETERMINE EMPIRICAL
FORMULA
Steps
• Find mole amounts
• Divide each mole by the smallest mole
Determine the empirical formula for a compound
containing 2.128 g Cl and 1.203 g Ca
1. Find mole amounts 2. Divide each mole by the
2.128 g Cl x 1 mol Cl = 0.0600 mol
smallest mole
Cl Cl = 0.0600 mol Cl = 2.00 mol Cl
35.45 g Cl 0.0300
Ca = 0.0300 mol Ca = 1.00 mol
1.203 g Ca x 1 mol Ca = 0.0300 mol Ca
Ca
0.0300
40.08 g Ca
Ratio – 1 Ca: 2 Cl
Empirical Formula = CaCl 2
What is the empirical formula for a compound
containing 0.783 g C ， 0.196g H and 0.521g O ?
7
A compound weighing 298.12 g consists of 72.2%
magnesium and 27.8% nitrogen by mass. What is the
empirical formula?
Hint
“Percent to mass
Mass to mole
Divide by small
Multiply ‘til whole”
A compound weighing 298.12 g consists of 72.2%
magnesium and 27.8% nitrogen by mass. What is the
empirical formula?
Percent to mass: Mg – (72.2%/100)*298.12 g =
215.24 g N – (27.8%/100)*298.12 g = 82.88 g
Mass to mole: Mg – 215.24 g * ( 1 mole ) = 8.86
mole 24.3 g
N – 82.88 g * ( 1 mole ) = 5.92 mole
14.01 g
Divide by small: Mg - 8.86 mole/5.92 mole =
1.50
N - 5.92 mole/5.92 mole = 1.00
Multiply ‘til whole: Mg – 1.50 x 2 = 3.00 Mg3N2
N – 1.00 x 2 = 2.00
The percent composition of a sample is as follows: 21.2%
N, 24.2% S, 6.1% H, and 48.5% O. What is the empirical
formula of this compound?
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Molecular Formula
The molecular formula gives the actual number of atoms of
each element in a molecular compound
Steps
• Find the empirical formula
• Calculate the Empirical Formula Mass
• Divide the molar mass by the “EFM”
• Multiply empirical formula by factor
Find the molecular formula for a compound whose molar
mass is ~124.06 and empirical formula is CH 2O3?= 62.03 g
“EFM”
124.06/62.03 = 2
2(CH2O3) = C2H4O6
12
Find the molecular formula for a compound that
contains 4.90 g N and 11.2 g O. The molar mass of the
compound is 92.0 g/mol
Steps
Find the empirical formula
Calculate the Empirical Formula Mass Empirical formula
Divide the molar mass by the “EFM” A.Find mole amounts
Multiply empirical formula by factor 4.90 g N x 1 mol N = 0.350 mol N
14.01 g N
11.2 g O x 1 mol O = 0.700 mol O
16.00 g O
Divide each mole by the smallest
mole
N = 0.350 = 1.00 mol N
0.350
O = 0.700 = 2.00 mol O
0.350
Empirical Formula = NO 2
Empirical Formula Mass = 46.01 g/mol
Molecular formula
Molar Mass = 92.0 g/mol = 2.00
Emp. Formula Mass 46.01 g/mol
Molecular Formula = 2 x Emp. Formula
=N2O4 14
A 528.39 g compound containing only carbon, hydrogen, and
oxygen is found to be 48.38% carbon and 8.12% hydrogen by
mass.
The molar mass of this compound is known to be ~222.25 g/mol.
What is its molecular formula?
g C – (48.38/100)*528.39 g = 255.64 g
g H – (8.12/100)*528.39 g = 42.91 g
g O – (43.5/100)*528.39 g = 229.85 g
mole C - 255.64 g * ( 1 mole ) = 21.29
mol 12.01
mole H – 42.91 g *g( 1 mole ) = 42.49 mol
1.01 g
mole O – 229.85 g * ( 1 mole ) = 14.37 mol
16.00 g
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From last slide: 21.29 mol C, 42.49 mol H, 14.27
mol O
C – 21.29/14.27 = 1.49
H – 42.49/14.27 = 2.98 (esentially 3)
O – 14.27/14.27 = 1.00
C – 1.49 x 2 = 3
C3H6O2
H–3x2=6
O–1x2=2
From last slide: Empirical formula = C3H6O2
“EFM” = 74.09
Molar mass = 222.24 = ~3
EFM 74.09
3(C3H6O2) = C9H18O6
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