Skip to main content
Ch.3 - Chemical Reactions and Reaction Stoichiometry
Chapter 3, Problem 55b2

(b) Menthol, the substance we can smell in mentholated cough drops, is composed of C, H, and O. A 0.1005-g sample of menthol is combusted, producing 0.2829 g of CO2 and 0.1159 g of H2O. What is the empirical formula for menthol? If menthol has a molar mass of 156 g/mol, what is its molecular formula?

Verified Solution

Video duration:
6m
This video solution was recommended by our tutors as helpful for the problem above.
Was this helpful?

Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Combustion Analysis

Combustion analysis is a technique used to determine the elemental composition of organic compounds. In this process, a sample is burned in excess oxygen, producing carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O). By measuring the mass of these products, one can calculate the amounts of carbon and hydrogen in the original sample, which are essential for determining the empirical formula.
Recommended video:
Guided course
01:29
Combustion of Non-Hydrocarbons

Empirical Formula

The empirical formula represents the simplest whole-number ratio of the elements in a compound. It is derived from the moles of each element present in the sample, calculated from the mass of the combustion products. For menthol, the empirical formula can be determined by converting the masses of CO2 and H2O produced into moles of carbon and hydrogen, respectively, and then finding the simplest ratio.
Recommended video:
Guided course
02:26
Empirical vs Molecular Formula

Molecular Formula

The molecular formula indicates the actual number of atoms of each element in a molecule of a compound. It can be derived from the empirical formula by comparing the molar mass of the compound to the molar mass of the empirical formula. If the molar mass of menthol is known (156 g/mol), and the empirical formula's molar mass is calculated, the molecular formula can be determined by finding the ratio of these two values.
Recommended video:
Guided course
02:08
Determining Molecular Formulas