How do you find an empirical formula from mass percent?

1 Answer

Assume 100 g of compound. This gives a specific mass for each element measured.

Explanation:

Given that assumption, you divide thru the individual gram quantities by the atomic masses of #C#, #H#, and #N#. You can then get an empirical formula, #C_nH_mN_o# etc.

There should be many examples of these boards of specific empirical formula problems.

The molecular formula may not be the same as the empirical formula but it is certainly a multiple of the empirical formula.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3hPm0ZdYhyyWLwHs-N8En7iTuJ9jZQqr