chemical formulae for naphthalene and benzoic acid
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naphthalene
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benzoic_acid
The chemical formula of naphthalene is C10H8, while the chemical formula for benzoic acid is C7H6O2.
When it comes to determining the chemical formula of a compound, we need to know the elements present and their respective ratios. Let me explain how to obtain the chemical formulas for naphthalene and benzoic acid.
1. Naphthalene:
Naphthalene is a hydrocarbon composed of only carbon and hydrogen atoms. To determine its formula, we need to know two things: the number of carbon atoms and the number of hydrogen atoms.
Naphthalene consists of two fused benzene rings, which means it contains 10 carbon atoms. Additionally, each carbon atom is bonded to one hydrogen atom in a balanced hydrocarbon structure.
So, by counting the carbon and hydrogen atoms, we arrive at the chemical formula for naphthalene: C10H8.
2. Benzoic Acid:
Benzoic acid is a carboxylic acid, which contains carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. To determine its formula, we need to consider the number of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms present.
First, let's count the carbon and hydrogen atoms. The benzene ring in benzoic acid contains seven carbon atoms and six hydrogen atoms. However, benzoic acid also contains a carboxyl group (COOH), which consists of one carbon, two oxygen, and one hydrogen. Hence, we add one carbon, two oxygen, and one hydrogen to the count.
By totaling the carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms, we arrive at the chemical formula for benzoic acid: C7H6O2.
So, the chemical formulae for naphthalene and benzoic acid are C10H8 and C7H6O2, respectively.