Answer:
CHCl₃
Explanation:
Given parameters:
Carbon = 5.03g
Hydrogen = 0.42g
Chlorine = 44.5g
The empirical formula shows the simplest formula of a compound.
To deduce the empirical, we need two pieces of information:
> Mass of the elements or the percentage composition of the compound
>The relative atomic masses of the elements
In order to derive the empirical formula from these parameters,
>>> find the number of moles of elements by dividing the mass given by the relative atomic mass of the respective atom
>>> Divide through by the smallest mole
>>> Approximate or multiply by a factor that would make it possible for whole numbers to be obtained
From the question, we have been given the mass of each element.
Now using the period table, we can obtain the relative atomic masses of each atom:
Carbon = 12gmol⁻¹
Hydrogen = 1gmol⁻¹
Chlorine = 37.5gmol⁻¹
C H Cl
Mass(in g) 5.03 0.42 44.5
Moles 5.03/12 0.42/1 44.5/37.5
0.42 0.42 1.19
Dividing
by
smallest 0.42/0.42 0.42/0.42 1.19/0.42
Mole ratio 1 1 2.83
Approximate 1 1 3
The empirical formula is CHCl₃
