empirical = molecular?

Michelle Chan 1J
Posts: 50
Joined: Thu Jul 25, 2019 12:16 am

empirical = molecular?

If the molar mass of the empirical formula is the same as the one given in the question, is the molecular formula the same as the empirical? Or is there no molecular formula?

ranqiao1e
Posts: 51
Joined: Sat Sep 14, 2019 12:15 am

Re: empirical = molecular?

In this case, the chemical formula is both empirical and molecular.

505316964
Posts: 95
Joined: Thu Jul 11, 2019 12:17 am

Re: empirical = molecular?

The empirical formula can be viewed as the smallest ratio of the molecular formula. If the molar mass of the empirical formula is the same as the molar mass of the molecular formula given in the question then they are the same.

san_2F
Posts: 118
Joined: Sat Jul 20, 2019 12:15 am

Re: empirical = molecular?

If it were different, you would have to divide the molar mass of the molecular formula by the molar mass of the empirical formula to found out what to multiply each of the components in the compound by.

AniP_2D
Posts: 95
Joined: Sat Aug 17, 2019 12:17 am

Re: empirical = molecular?

If the molecular formula can no longer be simplified, then it is viewed as both the molecular and empirical formula.

CynthiaLy4F
Posts: 103
Joined: Sat Jul 20, 2019 12:16 am

Re: empirical = molecular?

If the molar mass is the same for the empirical and molecular formula, then the chemical formula would just be the same for both.

KMenjivar_3A
Posts: 25
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2019 8:05 am

Re: empirical = molecular?

If the questions asks to find the molecular and empirical formula, first try to find the empirical formula which is to covert the grams into moles that’s given for each element. Then divide each element by the smallest mole value (for empirical). Remember that the coefficient can only be a whole integer. If the given molar mass and empirical are the same, the molecular will be the same as the empirical.

TYun_1C
Posts: 52
Joined: Wed Sep 11, 2019 12:16 am

Re: empirical = molecular?

Yes, if the masses are the same, you would get 1 when you divide the two masses; therefore, the empirical formula or the lowest whole number ratio is the molecular formula.

Tyler Angtuaco 1G
Posts: 130
Joined: Wed Sep 11, 2019 12:16 am

Re: empirical = molecular?

This means that your answer is the molecular formula. If the ratio of its elements' atoms cannot be simplified further by the same positive, whole number ratio, then there is no empirical formula.

Elizabeth Johnson 1I
Posts: 53
Joined: Wed Sep 11, 2019 12:16 am

Re: empirical = molecular?

Tyler Angtuaco 1H wrote:This means that your answer is the molecular formula. If the ratio of its elements' atoms cannot be simplified further by the same positive, whole number ratio, then there is no empirical formula.

It can be both the empirical and molecular formula, so there is still an empirical formula :)

Caitlin Ciardelli 3E
Posts: 44
Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2019 12:19 am

Re: empirical = molecular?

The empirical formula shows the relative number of atoms that a molecule has
The molecule formula shows the actual number of atoms

If the molar mass of the molecular formula = the molar mass of the empirical formula, this simply means that the actual number of atoms is the relative/lowest possible number of atoms! Hope this helps :)

Annika Zhang 1F
Posts: 49
Joined: Sat Jul 20, 2019 12:15 am

Re: empirical = molecular?

after finding the empirical formula, you divide the mass of the molecular formula by that of the empirical formula. Should the value derived from the equation be the value of 1, that means that the empirical formula is equal to that of the molecular formula

annikaying
Posts: 94
Joined: Sat Sep 14, 2019 12:16 am

Re: empirical = molecular?

If the molar mass given is equal to that of the empirical formula then the chemical formula found is both the empirical and molecular formula.

705198479
Posts: 55
Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2019 12:20 am

Re: empirical = molecular?

the empirical formula is a simplified version of the molecular formula, so if the molecular formula cannot be simplified it can be both the molecular and empirical formula.

KBELTRAMI_1E
Posts: 108
Joined: Sat Jul 20, 2019 12:17 am

Re: empirical = molecular?

KMenjivar_3A wrote:If the questions asks to find the molecular and empirical formula, first try to find the empirical formula which is to covert the grams into moles that’s given for each element. Then divide each element by the smallest mole value (for empirical). Remember that the coefficient can only be a whole integer. If the given molar mass and empirical are the same, the molecular will be the same as the empirical.

how would this be done if the molar mass isn't given? like on the midterm.

Jasmine 2C
Posts: 184
Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2019 12:18 am

Re: empirical = molecular?

There is always a molecular formula and empirical formula for a compound. The molecular formula accounts for ALL of the numbers of atoms in that compound while the empirical formula is a simplified version (but only simplified to whole numbers, no decimals or fractions). The molecular formula will be the empirical formula if and only if the molar mass of both formulas are equal.