Ex 1: A diatomic compound made of Nitrogen and oxygen atoms was analyzed.

63.65% of the compound was found to be nitrogen atom.

A: Find the empirical formula of the compound.
1: NO
2: NO2
3: N2O5
4: N2O
5: N2O3
Mass of N atom : 63.65 g Mass of O atom : 100 â 63.65 = 3
6.35 g
1 mol N
Ans: Moles of N atom: 63.65 g N X --------------- = 4.543 mol
of N
14.01 g
1 mol O
Moles of O atom: 36.35 g O X -------------- = 2.
272 mol of O
16.00 g
4.543
2.272
Find the molar ration: For N ---------- = 2 For O
------------ = 1
2.272 2.272
Divide both moles by smallest # of mole
The empirical formula is N2O

Ex 2: 6.194 g of phosphorus atoms combines with oxygen atom and produce 14.194
g of phosphorus oxide:
A: Find the empirical formula
B: Suppose the molar ratio that you obtained is correct. Write a balanced equati
on.
C: Find the molecular formula if the molar mass of the molecule is 283.88 g / mo
l
D: Name this product
E: This product reacts with water and produces phosphoric acid. Write a balance
d equation for this reaction.
Ans: A: Mass of P = 6.194 g P
Mass of O = 14.194 â 6.194 = 8.000 g O
Find the # moles of each element: 1 mol P
Mol of P = 6.194 g P X --------------
= 0.2000 mol P
30.
97 g
1
mol O
Mol of O = 8.000 g O X ---------------
= 0.5000 mol O
16
.00 g
0.2000
0.5000
Find the molar ratio: For P ------------- = 1 For O ------
---------- = 2.5
0.2000
0.2000
Multiply bothe by 2 to obtain an integer number. So, P will be 2 and O will be
5
The empirical formula is: P2O5

Ans. B: Find Molecular Formula

4P + 5O2 2P2O5
Ans C: MM = EF x n n is the hole number multiple
This means: The molar mass of the molecular formula is = to Molar mass of the em
pirical formula X n
283.88 = 141.94 x n n = 2
so the Molecular Formula is P4O10

Ans D: Tetraphosphorus pentoxide

Ans E: P4O10 + 6H2O 4H3PO4

3: 1 mole of a compound was combusted in air and produced 8.804 g CO2 (g) and 5.
406 g H2O (g). Suppose 9.600 g of oxygen atom was used in this reaction:
A: Find the empirical Formula of the unknown compound.
** Find mol of carbon from CO2
1 mol CO2 1 molC
8.804 g CO2 x ------------------- x ----------------- = 0.2000 moles of C in
compound
44.02 g 1 mol CO2
** Find mol of Oxygen from CO2
1 mol CO2 2 mol O
8.804 g CO2 x ------------------- x ----------------- = 0.4 moles of O
44.02 g CO2 1 mol CO2
** Find mol of Oxygen from H2O
1 mol H2O 1 mol O
5.406 g H2O x ------------------- x ----------------- = 0.3 moles of O
18.02 g H2O 1 mol H2O
1 mol O
Moles of Oxygen from air: 9.600 g x ----------------- = 0.6000 mol O fro
m Air
 16.00 g O
Moles of O in compound: 0.4000 + 0.3000 â 0.6000 = 0.1 mol O in compound
Moles of H from water:
1 mol H2O 2 mol H
5.406 g H2O x ------------------- x ----------------- = 0.6 moles of H in
compound
18.02 g H2O 1 mol H2O
Molar Ration : Divide all of them by 0.100 for obtaining a hole number;
C : 0.2000 O : 0.1000 H : 0.6000
------------------- ------------------ --------
------------
0.1000 0.1000 0.1000
C = 2 O = 1 H = 6
The empirical formula is : C2H6O
4: 5.333 g oxygen atom reacts with nitrogen to produce 7.201 g nitrogen oxide (
NxOy). Find the empirical formula:
1 mol O
Mass of O = 5.333 g Mol of O = 5 .333 g O x -------
--= 0.3333 mol O
16.00 g

1 mol N
Mass of N = 7.201 â 5.333 = 1.868 g N Mol of N = 1.868 g N x ----------= 0.13
33 mol N
14.02 g
For molar ratio: Divide both mols by the smallest # of mols: So
0.3333
0.1333
O --------------- = 2.5 x 2 = 5
N ------------- = 1 x 2 = 2
0.1333
0.1333
So The Empirical formula is N2O5
Ex 5: Vitamin C contains the elements C, H, and O. It is known to contain 40.9%
C and 4.58% H by mass. The molar mass of vitamin C has been found to be about 18
0. The molecular formula for vitamin C is:
a) C2H3O2
b) C3H4O3
c) C4H6O4
d) C6H8O6
Step I: Find the mass of each element
Mass of C = 40.9 g
Mass of H = 4.58 g
Mass of O = 100 â (40.9 + 4.48) = 54.62 g
Step II: Find the # of moles of each element:
1 mole C
Mole of C = 40.9 g C X -------------- = 3.40 mole C
 12.01 g

1 mole H
Mole of H = 4.58 g H X -------------- = 4.53 mole H
1.01 g

1 mole O
Mole of O = 54.62 g O X -------------- = 3.41 mole O
16.00 g
Step III: Find the Integral Molar Ratio: Divide each mole amount by the smallest
by
these amount:
3.40 is the smallest # of mole: So,
C = 3.40 / 3.40 = 1 , H = 4.53 / 3.40 = 1.33 , and O = 3.41 / 3.40 = 1
Step IV: Multiply all numbers by 3 in order to obtain a whole number for each Mo
lar Ratio. So,
C = 1 x 3 = 3, H = 1.33 x 3 = 4 and
O = 1 x 3 = 3
EF = C3H4O3 EFW = 90.00 g / mole

MW = EFW x n , Where
MW = Molecular Weight,
EFW = Empirical Formula Weight
n = Multiple Ex: C6H6 = CH x 6

180 = 90.0 x n n = 2 So MF = ( C3H4O3 ) 2 = C6H

8O6

6: An excess amount of solid zinc reacts with 3.0332 g aqueous gold chloride and
produces zinc chloride and 1.9697 g solid gold. Find the empirical formula of A
uxClY.
AuXClY + Zn ZnCl2 + Au
Mass of Au = 1.9697 g
Mass of Cl = 3.0332 â 1.9697 = 1.0662 g
1 mol Au
Mole of Au = 1.9697 g Au x
197.00 g
1 mol
Mole of Cl = 1.0662 g Cl x =
35.45 g
5: Hydrazine is composed of H and N. 87.42 g N combines with 15.58 g H to for
m hydazine. 3.00 g of H was recovered . Find the empirical formula of hydrazine
NxHy .
Mass of N = 87.42 g / 14.01 = 6.24
mol of N
Mass of H = 15.58 g â 3.00 = 12.58 g / 1.01 = 12.5
mol of H
N = 6.24 mol
H = 12.5 mol H Empirical Formula is NH2