A 3.06 gram sample of an unknown hydrocarbon with empirical formula CH₂O was found tocontain 0.0170 moles of the substance. What are the molecular mass and molecular formula, respectively, of the compound?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The molecular mass is calculated by dividing the sample mass by the number of moles: 3.06 g / 0.0170 mol = 180 g/mol. The empirical formula mass of CH₂O is 30 g/mol, and 180 g/mol divided by 30 g/mol gives a factor of 6, leading to the molecular formula C₆H₁₂O₆.

A 306 Gram Sample of an Unknown Hydrocarbon with Empirical Formula