Question

what are the molecular and empirical chemical formulas of a compound made up of these molecules?
the lines stand for chemical bonds between the atoms. you can ignore the dots -- they represent \lone pairs\ and youll learn about them later.
empirical formula:
molecular formula:

Explanation:

Step1: Count the number of each atom in the molecule

• Carbon (C): There are 6 carbon atoms in the molecule.
• Hydrogen (H): There are 8 hydrogen atoms in the molecule.
• Oxygen (O): There are 8 oxygen atoms in the molecule.

So the molecular formula is \(C_6H_8O_8\).

Step2: Simplify the molecular formula to get the empirical formula

Find the greatest common divisor (GCD) of the sub - scripts 6, 8, and 8. The GCD of 6, 8, and 8 is 2.
Divide each sub - script by 2:

• For C: \(\frac{6}{2}=3\)
• For H: \(\frac{8}{2} = 4\)
• For O: \(\frac{8}{2}=4\)

Answer:

empirical formula: \(C_3H_4O_4\)
molecular formula: \(C_6H_8O_8\)