A 10.5*g10.5g mass of a hydrocarbon contains 1.5*g1.5g of hydrogen. If the molecular mass of the hydrocarbon in 210*g*mol^-1210gmol1, what are the empirical and molecular formulae of the hydrocarbon?

2 Answers
Apr 23, 2017

1.5g1.5g of H would be 1.5div1=1.5mol1.5÷1=1.5mol
9g9g of C would be 9div12=0.75mol9÷12=0.75mol

Explanation:

So the mol-ratio of CdivH=0.75div1.5=1div2C÷H=0.75÷1.5=1÷2
And the empirical formula is (CH_2)_n(CH2)n

One of those units has a mass of 12+2xx1=14u12+2×1=14u

So there are 210div14=15210÷14=15 of those units, and the molecular formula will be:

C_15H_30C15H30

Apr 23, 2017

We find "(i) the empirical formula"(i) the empirical formula, and then "(ii) the molecular formula"(ii) the molecular formula.

Explanation:

"Moles of hydrogen"Moles of hydrogen == (1.5*g)/(1.00794*g*mol^-1)=1.49*mol1.5g1.00794gmol1=1.49mol

"Moles of carbon"Moles of carbon == (9.0*g)/(12.011*g*mol^-1)=0.75*mol9.0g12.011gmol1=0.75mol.

We divide thru by the smallest molar quantity, and (clearly) we get an empirical formula of CH_2CH2.

But we know that the "molecular formula"molecular formula is whole number multiple of the "empirical formula"empirical formula;

i.e. "molecular formula"=nxx"empirical formula"molecular formula=n×empirical formula

And thus, 210*g*mol=nxx(12.011+1.00794)*g*mol^-1210gmol=n×(12.011+1.00794)gmol1, and we solve for nn, to get n=16.15n=16.15. This value should be closer to an integer, however, this gives a molecular formula of C_16H_32C16H32 based on the figures you quoted.