Question

A compound of lead has the following percentage composition. $Pb=90.66\%;O=9.34\%$. Calculate the empirical formula of the compound. $[Pb=207;O=16]$

Answer 1

Element	atomic mass	percentage	relative number of moles	simplest mole of ratio	whole no ratio
$Pb$	$207$	$90.66$	$90.66/207=0.44$	$0.44/0.44=1$	$1\times 3=3$
$O$	$16$	$934$	$9.34/16=0.58$	$0.58/0.44=1.32$	$1.32\times 3=3.96=4$

Empirical formula of the compound :-

Since, the mole ratio of oxygen is fractional so, we multiply the whole ratio by $3$ to make it a whole number.

So, the empirical formula of compound is $P{b}_3{O}_4$