True or false? Constitutional isomers and conformations have the same molecular formula.
True. Constitutional isomers and conformations have the same molecular formula.
To determine whether this statement is true or false, we need to understand the definitions of constitutional isomers and conformations.
Constitutional isomers are compounds with the same molecular formula but different connectivity or arrangement of atoms. In other words, they have the same types and numbers of atoms, but the atoms are bonded together in different ways. For example, the compounds propane (C3H8) and methyl ether (CH3OCH3) are constitutional isomers, as they have the same molecular formula but different arrangements of atoms.
Conformations, on the other hand, refer to different spatial arrangements or rotations of a molecule without breaking any bonds. These are different possible versions of the same molecule that can be obtained by rotating certain parts around single bonds. For example, in the case of butane (C4H10), it can exist in different conformations such as the staggered and eclipsed conformations, where the arrangement of atoms is slightly different due to the rotation of the carbon-carbon bonds.
Since both constitutional isomers and conformations refer to different arrangements, spatial orientations, or rotations of atoms without altering the molecular formula, the statement is true. Constitutional isomers and conformations have the same molecular formula.