Question
What does the empirical formula of a compound represent? How does the molecular formula differ from the empirical formula
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The empirical formula of a compound represents the simplest whole-number ratio of the elements present in that compound. It gives the proportion of each element in the compound but does not provide information about the actual number of atoms or the arrangement of these atoms. For example, the empirical formula for hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) is HO, indicating a 1:1 ratio of hydrogen to oxygen.
On the other hand, the molecular formula of a compound provides the actual number of atoms of each element in a molecule of that compound. Using the previous example, the molecular formula of hydrogen peroxide is H₂O₂, indicating that each molecule contains 2 hydrogen atoms and 2 oxygen atoms.
In summary, while the empirical formula gives the simplest ratio of elements, the molecular formula provides the actual number of atoms in each molecule.
On the other hand, the molecular formula of a compound provides the actual number of atoms of each element in a molecule of that compound. Using the previous example, the molecular formula of hydrogen peroxide is H₂O₂, indicating that each molecule contains 2 hydrogen atoms and 2 oxygen atoms.
In summary, while the empirical formula gives the simplest ratio of elements, the molecular formula provides the actual number of atoms in each molecule.