Question #72394

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Answer 1 · 2015-01-05T13:26:16

The answer is #CH_1.35O#.

The first step in determining Vitamin C's empirical formula is to divide each element's percentage by its atomic mass:

#"For C": 40.9/(12.0) = 3.41#

#"For H": 4.60/1.00 = 4.60#

#"For O:" 54.5/16.0 = 3.41#

You then divide each of these numbers by the smallest one to get the ratios of the three elements in the molecule:

#"For C": 3.41/3.41 = 1#

#"For H": 4.60/3.41 = 1.35#

#"For O:" 3.41/3.41 = 1#

Therefore, your empirical formula looks like this:

#C_1H_1.35O_1#, or #CH_1.35O#.