Answer:
CH₄
Explanation:
To determine the empirical formula of the hydrocarbon, we need to follow a series of steps.
Step 1: Determine the mass of the compound
The mass of the compound is equal to the sum of the masses of the elements that form it.
m(CxHy) = mC + mH = 7.48 g + 2.52 g = 10.00 g
Step 2: Calculate the percent by mass of each element
%C = mC / mCxHy × 100% = 7.48 g / 10.00 g × 100% = 74.8%
%H = mH / mCxHy × 100% = 2.52 g / 10.00 g × 100% = 25.2%
Step 3: Divide each percentage by the atomic mass of the element
C: 74.8/12.01 = 6.23
H: 25.2/1.01 = 24.95
Step 4: Divide both numbers by the smallest one, i.e. 6.23
C: 6.23/6.23 = 1
H: 24.95/6.23 ≈ 4
The empirical formula of the hydrocarbon is CH₄.
