explain the difference between an empirical and a molecular formula .?

Answer 1

An empirical formule simply states the ratio of the atoms making up the compound, but not the total number or their arrangement. This is what is determined by elemental analysis.

A molecular formula shows the total number and their relation to each other in structure...much more important for organic chem than inorganic.

eg(1)...C3H6O is the empirical formula for acetone, CH3COCH3, but also for methyl vinyl ether, CH3OCH=CH2...very different compounds

eg(2)...CH2 is empirical for many hydrocarbons, including 2-butene, CH3-CH=CH-CH3 and cyclohexane, ...CH2CH2CH2CH2CH2CH2...(this is a cyclic compound, imagine the 'tails' connected).

Answer 2

An empirical formula is the simplest formula of a substance. A molecular formula indicates the actual number of atoms of each element that makes up the substance. Therefore, the subscripts of a molecular formula may be proportionately larger than those of an empirical formula.

Answer 3

An empirical formula is the simplest ratio form and the molecular formula is the actual number of each atom in a single molecule
ex. C6H12O6 = molecular formula
CH2O is the empirical formula

Answer 4

An empiric formula simply lists the number of atoms of various elements in a compound. A molecular formula indicates the specific arrangement of those molecules. For example the empiric formula of propane is C3H8, while its molecular formula is CH3-CH2-CH3

The distinction isn't important for most simple inorganic compounds; but becomes vitally important with organic compounds, which may have isomers with the same empiric formula that behave differently because of the variable arrangement of the component atoms.

Answer 5

Empirical formula -A chemical formula that indicates the relative proportions of the elements in a molecule, where a molecular formula shows the actual number and kinds of atoms in a molecule.

Answer 6

the empirical formula is when you dont know exactly the amount of each element in your compound and you do some calculations to get them. and the molecular formula is what you obtain from the empirical formula, or the composition of a compound like H2O is molecular formula.

Answer 7

Molecular formulation inform you the way many atoms of each ingredient are in a compound, and empirical formulation inform you the finest or maximum decreased ratio of factors in a compound. If a compound's molecular formulation won't be in a position to be decreased to any extent further, then the empirical formulation is a similar simply by fact the molecular formulation.