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:
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:
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:
Determining Molecular Formulas