Acetylene is used in oxyacetylene gas welding.Calculate the empirical formula for acetylene given its percent composition: 92.25% C and 7.75% H.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Acetylene has a molecular formula of C2H2. To find the empirical formula, divide the percent composition by the atomic mass of each element: for carbon (C), 92.25% / 12.01 g/mol ≈ 7.68; for hydrogen (H), 7.75% / 1.008 g/mol ≈ 7.69. The ratio of C:H is approximately 1:1, making the empirical formula CH.

Acetylene Is Used in Oxyacetylene Gas Welding