The empirical formula of a chemical compound is a simple representation of the ratio of the different types of atoms present in the compound. It shows the lowest whole-number ratio of each element in the molecule, without specifying the actual number of atoms or the molecular structure.
For example:
- For glucose (C₆H₁₂O₆), the empirical formula is CH₂O, which indicates that the simplest ratio of carbon to hydrogen to oxygen is 1:2:1.
- For hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), the empirical formula is HO, which indicates a ratio of 1:1 of hydrogen to oxygen.
The empirical formula is useful for understanding the composition of a compound, especially when determining its stoichiometry in chemical reactions. However, it does not provide information about the molecular structure or the arrangement of atoms in the compound.
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