"empirical formulas"

Question

combustion of a 0.255g compound conatining only C,H and O, yields 0.561g CO2 and 0.306g H2O. what is the empirical formula of the compound?

Answer 1

Convert g CO2 to g C.
Convert g 2P to g H.
0.255 - g C - g H = g O.

Convert g C, H, O, to mols.
Find the ratio.
Post your work if you get stuck.

Answer 2

umm... i need some help, sorry but how do you convert them?? my chem teacher isnt the best :(

Answer 3

I made a typo. It should read covert g H2O to g H.

g CO2 = 0.561/molar mass CO2 = ?
1 mol C in 1 mol CO2, then g C = mols CO2 x molar mass C = about 0.153g C.
Same process for the others (but note there are two mol H in 1 mol H2O).