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This lesson covers how to calculate empirical formulae and molecular formulae from experimental data. These are Higher tier topics required by the Edexcel GCSE Chemistry specification (1CH0).
The empirical formula of a compound shows the simplest whole number ratio of atoms of each element in that compound.
For example:
| Compound | Molecular formula | Empirical formula |
|---|---|---|
| Water | H₂O | H₂O |
| Glucose | C₆H₁₂O₆ | CH₂O |
| Ethane | C₂H₆ | CH₃ |
| Butene | C₄H₈ | CH₂ |
Notice that the empirical formula for water is the same as its molecular formula, because H₂O is already in its simplest ratio.
The molecular formula shows the actual number of atoms of each element in one molecule of the compound.
The molecular formula is always a whole number multiple of the empirical formula.
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