🧮 Empirical Formula
An empirical formula represents the simplest whole-number ratio of the elements in a chemical compound. It does not show the actual number of atoms, but the smallest possible ratio between them.
📘 Key Features
- Shows relative number of atoms, not the exact count.
- Useful for identifying basic chemical composition.
- Derived from experimental data such as mass percentages.
- May differ from the molecular formula if the compound has multiple units of the simplest ratio.
🔬 Example:
The compound glucose has a molecular formula of C6H12O6. Its empirical formula is CH2O, which shows the simplest whole-number ratio (1:2:1) of the atoms.
🧪 How to Determine It
- Convert masses or percentages of elements to moles.
- Divide all mole values by the smallest one.
- If necessary, multiply by whole numbers to eliminate fractions.
📎 Note:
The empirical formula is particularly useful in determining unknown substances from analytical data, especially in organic and inorganic chemistry.
✅ The empirical formula is a simplified expression of a compound’s composition, highlighting the most reduced ratio of elements present.