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Ch.3 - Chemical Reactions and Reaction Stoichiometry
Chapter 3, Problem 52b

What is the molecular formula of each of the following compounds? (b) empirical formula C2H4O, molar mass = 88.0 g/mol

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Key Concepts

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

Empirical Formula

The empirical formula represents the simplest whole-number ratio of atoms in a compound. For example, the empirical formula C2H4O indicates that for every two carbon atoms, there are four hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. It does not provide information about the actual number of atoms in a molecule, which can be determined by the molecular formula.
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Molecular Formula

The molecular formula gives the actual number of each type of atom in a molecule of a compound. It is derived from the empirical formula by multiplying the subscripts by a whole number, known as the molecular weight factor. In this case, the molecular formula can be determined by comparing the molar mass of the compound to the molar mass of the empirical formula.
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Molar Mass

Molar mass is the mass of one mole of a substance, typically expressed in grams per mole (g/mol). It is calculated by summing the atomic masses of all atoms in the molecular formula. For the compound with an empirical formula of C2H4O and a molar mass of 88.0 g/mol, this value is crucial for determining the molecular formula by comparing it to the molar mass of the empirical formula.
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