Question

A sample of a compound weighing 83.5 g contains 33.4 g of sulfur. The rest is oxygen. What is the empirical formula?

Answer 1

A sample of a compound weighing 83.5 g contains 33.4 g of sulfur. The rest is oxygen.

therefore in 83.5 g of compound mass of Oxygen = 83.5-33.4 gm = 50.1 gm

moles of sulphr = 33.4/32 = 1.04375 moles

moles of oxygen = 50.1/16 = 3.13125 moles

ratio of amount of sulphur and oxygen = 1.04375/3.13215 =almost 1/3 or 1:3

Now , The empirical formula is the simplest formula for a compound. A molecular formula is the same as or a multiple of the empirical formula, and is based on the actual number of atoms of each type in the compound. For example, if the empirical formula of a compound is C₃H₈ , its molecular formula may be C₃H₈ , C₆H₁₆ , etc.

so , here ratio of sulphur and oxygen is 1:3

so empirical formula will be SO₃...answer