What is the molecular weight and formula for petroleum ether?

Petroleum is not a single compound.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petroleum_ether

To determine the molecular weight and formula for petroleum ether, we can break it down into its main components. Petroleum ether is a mixture of various aliphatic hydrocarbons, mainly composed of pentane and hexane.

First, let's determine the molecular weight and formula for pentane (C5H12):
- Carbon (C) has an atomic weight of approximately 12.01 g/mol.
- Hydrogen (H) has an atomic weight of approximately 1.008 g/mol.

Given that pentane (C5H12) consists of five carbon atoms and 12 hydrogen atoms, the molecular weight can be calculated as follows:
(5 * 12.01 g/mol) + (12 * 1.008 g/mol) = 72.15 g/mol.

Now let's determine the molecular weight and formula for hexane (C6H14):
- Carbon (C) has an atomic weight of approximately 12.01 g/mol.
- Hydrogen (H) has an atomic weight of approximately 1.008 g/mol.

Given that hexane (C6H14) consists of six carbon atoms and 14 hydrogen atoms, the molecular weight can be calculated as follows:
(6 * 12.01 g/mol) + (14 * 1.008 g/mol) = 86.18 g/mol.

Since petroleum ether is a mixture of pentane and hexane, it does not have a specific molecular formula. However, we can calculate its average molecular weight by considering the percentage composition of each component. The exact composition of petroleum ether may vary depending on the source and the specific product.

By adding up the respective molecular weights of pentane and hexane, we can find the average molecular weight of petroleum ether. For example, if petroleum ether is composed of 70% pentane and 30% hexane, we can calculate the average molecular weight as follows:

(0.70 * 72.15 g/mol) + (0.30 * 86.18 g/mol) = 76.454 g/mol.

Please note that the molecular weight and composition of petroleum ether can vary depending on the specific grade and manufacturer.