What is the empirical formula of a compound that has a carbon-to-hydrogen ratio of 2 to 6?

1 Answer
Truong-Son N.
Mar 22, 2016

It's asking you what empirical formula means.

An empirical formula is a chemical formula containing the lowest-reduced subscripts. You can think of it as a fraction:

"6 H"/"2 C"xx"1/2"/"1/2" -> "3 H"/"1 C"

Therefore, "C"_2"H"_6 reduces to \mathbf("CH"_3). This is not actually a very stable compound, but it's real.

A methyl radical has the structural formula cdot"CH"_3 (so its carbon has one nonbonding valence electron). It is neutral.

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