Empirical and Molecular Formula

[Carolina Gomez 2G]

Can the molecular formula be the same as the empirical formula or can it only be a different multiple of it?

[Jeffrey Doeve 2I]

The molecular formula can be the same as the empirical formula. However, you have to find the empirical formula and its molar mass to check if the ratio to the molecular formula's molar mass is 1. Then, the empirical formula and molecular formula are one and the same.

[Ashley Lopez 3J]

Hi Caro.
The empirical formula and the molecular formula can indeed be the same. Sometimes the ratio of atoms cannot be simplified further, so there will not be a multiple of said formula.

[Brenda Silva 1B]

The molecular formula can be the same as the empirical formula, just keep in mind that the empirical formula is a ratio of the molecular formula therefore it could not be larger than the molecular formula.

[Sami Siddiqui 1J]

The molecular formula can be the same as the empirical formula. However, you have to find the empirical formula and its molar mass to check if the ratio to the molecular formula's molar mass is 1. Then, the empirical formula and molecular formula are one and the same.

Yes, Jeffrey is absolutely right here. I'd also like to add that the empirical formula can NEVER have a greater molar mass than the molecular formula. That would indicate the empirical formula you're given isn't, in fact, in the simplest possible ratio of whole integers.

[JoshMoore2B]

Yes. The empirical formula is the formula of a compound that simply shows the ratio of elements in the compound in simplest terms. For example, NH3 is the molecular formula for ammonia, but because NH3 also shows the ratio of elements in the compound in simplest terms (3 hydrogens for every nitrogen), it is also the empirical formula. The same is true for many other compounds.

[Mansi Solanki 3A]

The molecular formula can be the same as the empirical formula. It all depends on the actual amount of each element that is present in a compound because the molecular formula refers to the actual number of atoms that are present in the compound. This means that if the ratio of the elements will be the same as the empirical formula, but the number of atoms might change. However, it can be the same since the molar mass of the compound in the empirical formula could be the same as the molecular formula.

[David Jen 1J]

The molecular formula can be the same as the empirical formula.

[Izamary Marquez 2H]

In lecture, Lavelle explained that we will not know if the formula we have concluded is the empirical or molecular formula until we are given the molar mass of the molecule. Will we always be given the molar mass? If not, should we just assume that the formula is the empirical formula?

[Jasraj Parmar 3H]

Yes, the empirical formula can be the same as the molecular formula. The molecular formula will never be less than the empirical formula. This is because the empirical formula is already the lowest possible ratio.

[alebenavides]

The molecular formula can be the same as the empirical formula. With this said it still means that empirical formula cannot be bigger than the molecular formula.

[Maya Johnson 2a]

Hi Carolina,
Yes, the empirical and molecular formula can be the same. The empirical formula is a simplified version of the molecular formula, but it is possible for the molecular formula can also be in the most simplified state.

[DPatel_2L]

Yes they can be the same. However the molecular cannot be smaller than the empirical.

[Jaden Kwon 3C]

Is there ever a situation where the empirical formula would be used over the molecular formula?

[Lizbeth Garcia 1F]

Is there ever a situation where the empirical formula would be used over the molecular formula?

No. The empirical formula only formulates the ratio between the different elements in a way it is just a step to finding the molecular formula. However, they can be the same but your main focus, I believe, is the molecular formula.

[Mia Meza]

The empirical and molecular formula can be the same, but in order to ensure that they are the same you have to check the molar mass of the empirical formula and make sure it is in the range of the molecular formula.

[Joshua Chung 2D]

Is there ever a situation where the empirical formula would be used over the molecular formula?

It depends on the question, but in most cases (unless specifically stated) the molecular formula takes priority, especially since it links directly to molecular masses, etc.

[Gustavo_Chavez_1K]

Yes, the empirical and molecular formula can be the same. It essentially depends on the ratio we calculate when determining the empirical formula. For example, if the ratio ends up being 1:1:1 then the empirical formula and the molecular formula will be the same. However, lets say that the empirical formula ratio ends up being 1:2:1 then the empirical formula will not be the same as the molecular formula so we would have to find the multiple. Keep in mind that the empirical formula will always be less than the molecular formula, unless they are the same.