empirical vs molecular [ENDORSED]

[Holland Smith 3C]

I am still a little confused on the difference between the two. is the difference between the formulas that the empirical will have whole numbers (coefficients) is used when writing a balanced chemical equation, vs. molecular shows how many atoms of each element are needed to create a balanced chemical equation?

[Nathan Sigel 2k]

The way I understood this concept best was to imagine that the empirical formula shows the correct ratio of atoms in a compound, whereas the molecular formula shows the actual number of atoms in a compound.

Take glucose, for example. Its molecular formula is C6H12O6. This means that it takes 6 carbon atoms, 12 hydrogen atoms, and 6 oxygen atoms to physically make 1 glucose molecule. The empirical formula, however, is CH2O, as it displays the ratio of atoms to one another. This does not mean that it takes only 1 carbon, 2 hydrogen, and 1 oxygen to make a molecule of glucose, but that that it is the simplest ratio of the atoms to one another. Often the empirical formula is used as a stepping stone to find the molecular formula of an unknown compound.

[Quynhanh Nguyen 1C]

Hi Holland!

The empirical formula is the lowest possible ratio between atoms whereas the molecular formula is the actual composition of a molecule. For instance, the empirical formula of ethane is CH3. It ONLY tells you the ratio between carbon and hydrogen in ethane but cannot be used in a balanced chemical reaction.

The molecular formula of ethane is C2H6 (multiply the empirical formula by 2). This is what you would use in a reaction with ethane. Both empirical and molecular formulas use whole numbers. Hope this helps! :)

[405669838]

The molecular formula shows soles the ratio of the elements. For example the equation CH2O shows the ratio is 1:2:1. however, this is not the actual number of elements present in the compound. In reality, the actual equation is C6H12O6. It has the same ratio of elements, but in different numbers. To find the molecular formula you need to be given or know the molar mass of that specific compound.

[305561744]

Is there a reason behind the empirical formula being referred to as "empirical"? If anything, it should be the other way around, since "empirical" (to my understanding) means observable and factual, when in reality it's something of a shorthand.

[Melody_Tapia_1J]

So the molecular formula is how many atoms each element of the formula actually has. While the empirical formula is the formula you get when you simplify the ratio of atoms in the molecular formula.

example:

Molecular formula Empirical Formula
P₄ O₁₀ P₂ O₅

See how the empirical formula simplified the 4:10 ratio from the molecular formula to 2:5

[Ananya Sridharan]

Empirical formula relates to the proportion of the different types of atoms in a molecule whereas the molecular formula is the exact number of atoms of each element in a molecule. Take the example C6H18O3. That would be the molecular formula because that is the exact number of atoms of each element in the molecule. The empirical formula would be C3H6O because we are dividing by greatest common factor to find the proportions.

[Emma Goellner 2I]

The empirical formula provides the smallest ratio of elements in a given compound using whole numbers. For instance, the empirical formula for C6H12O6 would be CH2O. For every one carbon atom, there are two (or twice as many) hydrogen atoms, and one oxygen atom. The ratio is 1:2:1. C6H12O6 is considered the molecular formula, since it gives the total number of atoms of each element in the compound.

[Lizzy Bulla 3K]

I like to think about the empirical formula as the lowest possible ratio of atoms in a molecule. The molecular formula is any multiple of that same ratio

[905767718]

An empirical formula is one that shows the minimum multiple of atoms required to create a molecule and others like it of larger multiples. As someone already mentioned, glucose is represented by C6H12O6 whereas its empirical formula is CH2O. The reason we categorize the empirical formula and molecular formula as separate is because there are other carbon based macromolecules that follow the CH2O empirical formula, just at different multiples than glucose. The molecular formula simply dictates the actual identity of a molecule rather than the multiples that we can use to create it.

[Ana Luiza S]

The empirical formula is the simplest ratio between all the atoms in a molecule. The molecular formula is the actual number of atoms in the molecule. The empirical formula has that name because it's what you would get experimentally if you measured the mass % composition of the compound using a spectrometer.

[Tyler Olson 1E]

The empirical formula is the simplest ratio of each element in a molecule. One thing to keep in mind is that the molecular and empirical formulas can be the same but you have to look at the atomic mass of the molecule to see if that is the case.

[Macy_Anderson_2F]

The molecular formula is a chemical formula for molecules that displays the number of atoms in each molecule with subscripted integers. This number is either calculated or given to you. The empirical formula is the simplest form of the molecular formula. You can find this number by dividing the subscripts in the molecular formula by their lowest common denominator. For example, the molecular formula of glucose is C6H12O6 and if you divide the subscripts by 6 (the LCD) you get CH2O, which is the empirical formula.

[Madison Kiggins 1E]

The empirical formula is the simplest ratio between the atoms that make up a molecule. The molecular formula on the other hand gives the actual number of atoms in the molecule. For example, glucose has a molecular formula of C6H12O6, which is a 1:2:1 ratio. The empirical formula is the simplified version of this ratio which is CH2O.

[Ameen Shaheen 2I]

In short, the empirical formula asserts the most basic ratio-rationale of the compound while the molecular formula adheres to a given molar mass or ideal molar mass given.

[Jieun 2C]

Empirical formula shows the simplest whole number ratio of elements while molecular formulas shows the actual ratio of elements. The molecular formulation has the correct molar mass of the element when calculated.

[205282258]

Hi Holland! Empirical formulas have the lowest whole numbers as coefficients while still showing the correct ratio of elements. Molecular formulas show the actual number of elements that naturally occur(has correct molar mass).

[Gabby Burgess 2I]

Hi there! Empirical formulas are basically the general numbers of atoms per mole but molecular formulas give the exact number of atoms for the amount of moles given.

[Jaden Nguyen 2A]

Empirical formulas describe the simplest ratio of the atoms in a molecule. For example, CO2 is both in it's empirical and molecular formula. The molecular formula is the KNOWN formula of the molecule, but the empirical would be a simplified form like fractions.

[Rhea Jain 2I]

I think a good way of comparing the two is to remember that the molecular formula is a multiple of the empirical formula. This is because the empirical formula gives you the most simplified ratio of the atoms in a compound while the molecular formula gives you the actual number of atoms. Hope this helps!

[Samantha Quevedo 2L]

The empirical formula is the simplified mole number ratio. The molecular formula gives you the exact amount of atoms that are present of each element in the molecule of a compound. Additionally the molecular formula should have a ratio that should add up to the appropriate molar mass and that is how you can double check if your molecular mass is correct.

[Amanda Dankberg 1B]

The empirical formula only gives the simplest ratio of the number of atoms in a compound whereas the molecular formula gives the actual number of atoms in the compound. The molecular one is the one needed to form a balanced chemical equation.

[DArcy Perlman 1C]

The empirical formula doesn't give you much information and is really just commonly used to find the molecular formula and show you what elements are within the compound in the correct ratio. The molecular formula gives you the number of atoms that are actually needed for a molecule of the compound to be created, and you can derive the empirical formula from it by simplifying.

[AndreyCastellanos 3H]

The molecular formula is going to show the ACTUAL amount of atoms taking place in an equation while the Empirical formula is going to be like a Factored version of the same equation

[Aya Watson 2B]

Hi Holland! With empirical formulas, you can think of them as factored molecular formulas--they show the most reduced ratio of elements. Molecular formulas are the TRUE ratio of atoms in a compound, meaning it is not necessarily the most simplified version of a formula. However, empirical and molecular formulas can be the same. For example, H2O is both the empirical and molecular formula for water. You cannot simplify it further.

[505739628]

The empirical formula is the ratio for the molecular formula, so they could technically be the same if the molecular formula has the lowest ratio between coefficients! In other words, the molecular formula is the actual number of each atom or molecule used in the reaction and the empirical formula is the ratio between the coefficients that we can calculate for when given percent mass compositions for the reaction. Hope this helps!

[isabella garcia - 1G]

The empirical formula shows you what elements make up the compound and the simplest ratio of each, whereas the molecular formula shows the actual number of atoms within the molecule.

[Palig Kechichian 3F]

Empirical formula shows the simplest ratio of elements rather than the total number of atoms. Think of the molecular formula as a multiple of the empirical formula! Someone gave a great example using C6H12O6 :)

[Jamie Lau 2J]

The empirical formula gives the ratio of the atoms of each element (in simplest whole numbers). The molecular formula represents the actual number of atoms of each element.

[erud]

The way I think about the empirical formula is the smallest ratio of the structure of the molecule. The molecular formula always relies of the mass of the sample.

[Sophia Dominguez 3I]

Empirical formulas show the relative number of atoms while molecular formulas show the actual number of atoms. An empirical formula shows you two things: what the atoms are in that molecule and what their ratio is.

For example, the empirical formula of nitrogen is NO2. The ratio of nitrogen to oxygen atoms is 1:2. The molecular formula of nitrogen is N2O4. There are 2 nitrogen atoms and 4 oxygen atoms.

[Mahima Manoj 1F]

Hii,
Empirical is just the relative number of atoms a molecule has. So it's the simplest ratio. Whereas the molecular formula shows the actual number of atoms and its a multiple of the empirical formula.

[Rebecca Preusch 2C]

Empirical is the lowest whole number ratio of the elements in a molecule. The molecular formula is the actual number of each atom in the molecule and will either be equal to or a multiple of the empirical formula.

[205705413]

The empirical formula is the lowest ratio of molecules per compound. The molecular formula is the actual formula of the compound.

[Parinita Jithendra 2A]

I look at it as the empirical formula would be the lowest ratio of the element composition, not necessarily the actual molecule. The molecular formula is more the actual molecule formula as it takes the molar mass into account!

[Akshat Katoch 2K]

The empirical formula shows the lowest ratio of atoms in a compound, while the molecular formula shows the actual number of atoms in a compound.

Example:
Glucose's molecular formula is C6H12O6, which is the actual ratio of carbon to hydrogen to oxygen. However, CH2O is the empirical formula because that is the smallest whole number ratio of carbon to hydrogen to oxygen.

[Claudia Longo 2J]

I am still a little confused on the difference between the two. is the difference between the formulas that the empirical will have whole numbers (coefficients) is used when writing a balanced chemical equation, vs. molecular shows how many atoms of each element are needed to create a balanced chemical equation?

A good way to remember the difference between empirical and molecular formulas is that the empirical formula shows the lowest mole ratios among atoms in a molecule. However, whole numbers do not need to be used in a balanced equation. But the most likely situation is that you will be using the molecular formula when writing a balanced equation. The molecular formula displays the "realistic" molar ratio in a molecule, meaning the state that the molecule is naturally found in. But no, it does not necessarily refer to atoms needed to make a balanced equation. Try to ignore the "balanced chemical equation" part and I think you'll have a much easier time discerning the differences and similarities between the two types of formulas.

[Kirsten Yu 2K]

The empirical formula shows the simplest (whole) number ratio of elements. Conversely, the molecular formula shows the actual ratio of elements in a given compound.