A 0.400 gram sample of a substance contains 0.141 g of potassium, 0.115 g of sulfur, and 0.144 g of oxygen. What is the empirical formula for this compound?
A 0.400 gram sample of a substance contains 0.141 g of potassium, 0.115 g of sulfur, and 0.144 g of oxygen. What is the empirical formula for this compound?
mols K = 0.141/39.1 = approx 0.0036
mols S = 0.115/32 = approx 0.0036
mols O = 0.144/16 = approx 0.009
To find the simplest ratio divide all of the number by the smallest which gives you
K = 1
S = 1
O = 2.5
You know empirical formulas have WHOLE numbers so just multiply everything by 2 to get K2S2O5. That's kind of an odd ball but it is potassiium metabisulfite.