What is the empirical formula for Dichloroethane?
To find the empirical formula for Dichloroethane, we need to know the molecular formula of Dichloroethane and then reduce it to its simplest ratio of atoms.
Dichloroethane is a compound composed of carbon (C) and hydrogen (H) atoms, with two chlorine (Cl) atoms bonded to one of the carbon atoms. The molecular formula of Dichloroethane is C2H4Cl2.
To determine the empirical formula, we need to find the ratio of each element present in the compound.
1. Start by counting the number of each type of atom in the molecular formula.
- Carbon (C): 2 atoms
- Hydrogen (H): 4 atoms
- Chlorine (Cl): 2 atoms
2. Divide each of the atom counts by the greatest common divisor (GCD) to obtain the simplest whole-number ratio.
- GCD of 2, 4, and 2 is 2.
Dividing each count by 2:
- Carbon (C): 2 ÷ 2 = 1
- Hydrogen (H): 4 ÷ 2 = 2
- Chlorine (Cl): 2 ÷ 2 = 1
3. Write the empirical formula using the simplified counts.
The empirical formula for Dichloroethane is CH2Cl.
Therefore, the empirical formula of Dichloroethane is CH2Cl.