FIND THE EMPIRICAL AND MOLECULAR FORMULA

The molecular formula and the empirical formula are two fundamental concepts in chemistry that are used to describe the composition of a molecule.

*Molecular Formula*

The molecular formula is a representation of the structure of a molecule that shows the exact number of atoms of each element that make it up. The molecular formula is written using the chemical symbols for the elements and subscript numbers that indicate the number of atoms of each element.

Example: The molecular formula of water is H2O, which indicates that a water molecule is composed of 2 hydrogen atoms and 1 oxygen atom.

*Empirical Formula*

The empirical formula is a simplified representation of the composition of a molecule that shows the simplest relationship between the atoms of each element. The empirical formula is written using the chemical symbols for the elements and subscript numbers that indicate the relationship between the atoms of each element.

Example: The empirical formula of water is H2O, which is equal to the molecular formula. However, the empirical formula of hydrogen and oxygen in a molecule of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is HO, which indicates that the ratio between hydrogen and oxygen atoms is 1:1.

*Differences between the molecular formula and the empirical formula*

1. *Complexity*: The molecular formula is more complex than the empirical formula, since it shows the exact number of atoms of each element.
2. *Relationship between atoms*: The empirical formula shows the simplest relationship between the atoms of each element, while the molecular formula shows the exact number of atoms of each element.
3. *Information*: The molecular formula provides more information than the empirical formula as it shows the detailed structure of the molecule.

In summary, the molecular formula and the empirical formula are two important tools in chemistry used to describe the composition of a molecule. The molecular formula is more complex and provides more information than the empirical formula.