The sugar fructose has an empirical formula of CH₂O.The mass spectrum shows a molecular ion peak at a mass of 179.9.What is the molecular formula of fructose?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Based on the molecular ion peak at a mass of 179.9, it is clear that the molecular formula of fructose has a mass of approximately 180. The empirical formula CH₂O has a mass of approximately 150, which is much lower than the observed mass. Therefore, we need to multiply the empirical formula by a factor of 1.2 to get a molecular formula with a mass close to 180. This gives us the molecular formula C₆H₁₂O₆, which is option D.

The Sugar Fructose Has an Empirical Formula of CH2O

The Sugar Fructose Has an Empirical Formula of CH₂O