A hydrocarbon,subjected to elemental analysis,was found to contain 79.89 % carbon and 20.11 % hydrogen by mass.What is the empirical formula of the hydrocarbon? A)CH₄ B)C₂H₆ C)C₄H D)C₁₀H E)CH₃

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The empirical formula is determined by dividing the percentage of each element by its atomic mass and then simplifying the ratio. For carbon: 79.89/12.01 ≈ 6.65, and for hydrogen: 20.11/1.008 ≈ 19.95. The simplest ratio is approximately 1:3, giving the empirical formula CH₃.

A Hydrocarbon,subjected to Elemental Analysis,was Found to Contain 79