Question

A compound is found to contain 11.21 % hydrogen and 88.79 % oxygen by mass. What is the empirical formula for this compound?

Answer 1

Answer:

H₂O

Explanation:

The empirical formular of the compound is obtained using the following steps;

Step 1: Divide the percentage composition by the atomic mass

Hydrogen = 11.21 / 1 = 11.21

Oxygen = 88.79  / 16 = 5.55

Step 2: Divide by the lowest number

Hydrogen  = 11.21 / 5.55 = 2.02 ≈ 2

Oxygen = 5.55 / 5.55 = 1

This means the ratio of the elements is 2 : 1

The empirical formular (simplest formular of a compound) of the compound is;

H₂O

Answer 2

Answer:Empirical formula ======== H₂O    

Explanation:The empirical formula of a compound shows the whole number ratio for  each atom in a compound.

To find empirical formula. we follow the below steps

The total mass of the compound here  is 100 grams, that is (11.21% of hydrogen + 88.79% of oxygen) we can then  assume 11.21 grams  of hydrogen and 88.79grams of oxygen

                                          Hydrogen                   Oxygen

1.composition by mass    11.21                              88.79

molecular weight              1.007g/mol               15.990g/mol

2.Divide composition by mass  11.21/1.007            88.79/15.99    

by each molecular weight to get 11.13                            5.553

no of moles

3 Divide by the least number of moles

to get atomic ratio                       11.13/5.553          5.553/5.553

                                                         2.004                           1.00

4.Convert  to whole numbers             2                                 1

Empirical formula ======== H₂O