A sample of an alcohol is tested and found to contain 52% carbon, 35% oxygen, and 13% hydrogen by mass. Tests indicate that the molecular weight of the molecule is between 30 and 80. What is the molecular formula of the alcohol?
2 answers
After I did everything, I got the empirical formula to be C2 H5.8 O?
You should have obtained C2H6O (my numbers were 1.98 for C which rounds to 2, 5.94 for H which rounds to 6, and O.
empirical formula mass is 46
46 is between 30 and 80. Twice that (C2H6O)2 would have a molar mass of 46*2 = 92 and that's out of the range. So the empirical and molecular formulae are the same.
empirical formula mass is 46
46 is between 30 and 80. Twice that (C2H6O)2 would have a molar mass of 46*2 = 92 and that's out of the range. So the empirical and molecular formulae are the same.
0 answers