molecular formula of glucose is C6H12O6 . What is its empirical formula?
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The empirical formula of a compound represents the simplest whole number ratio of the elements in the compound. To determine the empirical formula of glucose (C6H12O6), we need to find the ratio of the atoms in their simplest form.
- Identify the elements and their quantities:
In glucose, the molecular formula is C6H12O6, meaning it contains:- 6 carbon (C) atoms,
- 12 hydrogen (H) atoms, and
- 6 oxygen (O) atoms.
- Find the greatest common divisor (GCD):
The next step is to divide the number of atoms of each element by the greatest common divisor (GCD) of 6, 12, and 6. The GCD of 6, 12, and 6 is 6. - Divide each element by 6:
- Carbon: 66=1\frac{6}{6} = 166=1
- Hydrogen: 126=2\frac{12}{6} = 2612=2
- Oxygen: 66=1\frac{6}{6} = 166=1
- Write the empirical formula:
The simplified ratio of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen is 1:2:1. Therefore, the empirical formula of glucose is CH2O.
Explanation:
The molecular formula of glucose (C6H12O6) indicates that glucose consists of 6 carbon atoms, 12 hydrogen atoms, and 6 oxygen atoms. To find the empirical formula, we look for the simplest ratio of these atoms. By dividing the number of atoms of each element by the GCD of 6, we find that the empirical formula is CH2O. This empirical formula represents the simplest building block of glucose, where each unit consists of one carbon atom, two hydrogen atoms, and one oxygen atom.
The empirical formula doesn’t change the chemical nature of the compound but provides a more basic representation, often used in stoichiometric calculations. The molecular formula, on the other hand, provides more specific information about the exact number of atoms of each element in one molecule of glucose.
