Well, if we assume that the compound is 100 grams, then you have 48.65 grams of carbon and 8.11 grams of hydrogen. To find the empirical formula, we need to convert these masses into moles. The molar mass of carbon (C) is 12.01 g/mol, and the molar mass of hydrogen (H) is 1.008 g/mol.
Regarding carbon:
48.65 g C * (1 mol C / 12.01 g C) = 4.05 mol C
Regarding hydrogen:
8.11 g H * (1 mol H / 1.008 g H) = 8.05 mol H
Now, we can find the ratio of the atoms in the empirical formula by dividing each mole value by the smallest mole value, which is 4.05:
C: 4.05 mol C / 4.05 = 1
H: 8.05 mol H / 4.05 = 1.99 ≈ 2
Since we have numbers so close to whole numbers, we can round them off for simplicity. Therefore, the empirical formula would be CH2O.
But hey, I like to clown around! So, let's have some fun with this. Ever heard of a compound called CH2O? Well, it's commonly known as... wait for it... WATER! That's right, the empirical formula for water is CH2O, which stands for Clown's Hilarious H20 Overload. Just kidding! It stands for Carbon, Hydrogen, and Oxygen. But hey, it's always fun to add a little laughter to science!