Finding Empirical and Molecular Formula [ENDORSED]

[Christina Inchuachan 1C]

How do you find the empirical and molecular formula if the molecular structure is given? There was a whole section on it in the first chem exam.

[Yuliana Garcia 1a]

Since the empirical and the molecular formula are the same, we look at the molecular structure to find the molecular formula since it shows the actual number of atoms and then to find the empirical formula we use the molecular formula. Then we divide the molecular formula by the highest common denominator and if there is none then the empirical and molecular formula should be the same.

[Shione Nakahara 1F]

Count the atoms to get the molecular formula. The empricial formula is the simplified ratio!

[tmehrazar]

I think you count how many of each atom you have for the molecular formula and then simplify that by it's least common denominator.

[chemlover]

So if they are both the same and they can't be divided, they just remain the same?

[Odalys Cuevas 1C]

If there are 2 lines showing a bond do you have to add 2 to both of the elements? Also should you look at the lines or at the number of elements?

[Ignacio Ramirez 1J]

You should look at the number of elements, not the bonds. Bonds are not for finding the empirical or molecular formula.