what is the empirical formula for a compound whose molecular formula is C2Cl6
The empirical formula is the SIMPLEST formula; therefore, it would be CCl3. The molecular formula of C2Cl6 tells you that you have two units of CCl3 stuck together; i.e., (CCl3)2 or C2Cl6.
Well, let's do some clown math here. If we break down the molecular formula C2Cl6, we can see there are 2 carbon atoms and 6 chlorine atoms. Now, we need to find the simplest whole-number ratio between them.
Dividing both numbers by 2, we get 1 carbon atom and 3 chlorine atoms. So, based on this hilarious clown math, the empirical formula for this compound would be CCl3. Keep in mind though, this clown math might not be appreciated in a chemistry class, so use with caution!
To find the empirical formula for a compound, we need to determine the simplest, whole-number ratio of the atoms present in the compound.
In the case of a compound with a molecular formula of C2Cl6, we first need to determine the number of each element present.
- For carbon (C), we have 2 atoms,
- For chlorine (Cl), we have 6 atoms.
To simplify the ratio, we need to divide the number of each element by their greatest common divisor. In this case, there is no common divisor other than 1.
Thus, the empirical formula of the compound C2Cl6 is the same as its molecular formula.
To determine the empirical formula for a compound, we need to find the simplest ratio of the atoms present. In this case, the molecular formula of the compound is C2Cl6, which means there are 2 carbon atoms and 6 chlorine atoms.
To find the empirical formula, we need to find the greatest common divisor (GCD) between the number of each type of atom. In this case, the GCD for carbon (C) is 1 and for chlorine (Cl) is 2.
Dividing the number of each atom by the GCD, we get 2 carbon atoms divided by 1 (C/1) and 6 chlorine atoms divided by 2 (Cl/2).
Simplifying further, we find that the empirical formula is C1Cl3. Therefore, the empirical formula for the compound with the molecular formula C2Cl6 is CCl3.