Question

A compound is known to contain only carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. If the complete combustion of a 0.150-g sample of this compound produces 0.225 g of CO2 and 0.0614 g of H2O, what is the empirical formula of this compound

Answer 1

Answer: the empirical formula is C3H4O3

Explanation:Please see attachment for explanation

Answer 2

Answer:

The answer to your question is  C₃H₄O₃

Explanation:

Data

CxHyOz

mass of sample = 0.150 g

mass of CO₂ = 0.225 g

mass of H₂O = 0.0614 g

Reaction

                     CxHyOz + O₂   ⇒   CO₂   + H₂O

Process

1.- Calculate the moles of C

                            44 g of CO₂ ----------------- 12 g of C

                            0.225 g    ---------------- x

                            x = (0.225 x 12) / 44

                            x = 0.0614 g of C

                            12 g of C -------------------- 1 mol

                           0.0614 g of C --------------- x

                                 x = 0.0051 moles of Carbon

2.- Calculate the moles of hydrogen

                            18 g of H₂O ------------------ 2 g of H

                             0.0614 g --------------- x

                             x = 0.0068 g of H

                             1 g of H ----------------------- 1 mol of H

                            0.0068 g --------------------- x

                             x = 0.0068 moles of H

3.- Calculate the mass of Oxygen

    Mass of oxygen = 0.150 - 0.0614 - 0.0068

                               = 0.0818 g

                       16 g of O -------------------  1 mol

                      0.0818 g -------------------- x

                         x = (0.0818 x 1) / 16

                         x = 0.0051 moles of O

4.- Divide by the lowest number of moles

Carbon       0.0051 / 0.0051  = 1

Hydrogen   0.0068 / 0.0051 = 1.33

Oxygen       0.0051 / 0.0051 = 1

Multiply these numbers by 3

Carbon 3

Hydrogen = 4

Oxygen = 3

5.- Write the empirical formula

                                      C₃H₄O₃