Question

What is the empirical formula for glucose?

Answer 1

Part 1: Defining Empirical and molecular formula

Empirical formula:

• An empirical formula is a formula in which the atoms in a molecule are present in their lowest ratio.
• An empirical formula gives the simplest ratio of atoms in a molecule or compound.

Molecular formula:

• The molecular formula is the formula in which the atoms in a molecule is present in fixed ratio.
• The molecular formula gives the exact number of atoms in a molecule or compound.

Relation between molecular formula and empirical formula:

• $\mathrm{n}=\frac{\text{Molecular formula}}{\text{Empirical formula}}$
• Where, $n$ is the whole number multiple that is $1,2,3,4\dots .$so on.

Part 2: Determining the Empirical formula of Glucose

• The molecular formula of glucose is ${\mathrm{C}}_6{\mathrm{H}}_{12}{\mathrm{O}}_6$.
• In glucose, the value of $‘n’$ is $6$ that means the subscript of Carbon, Hydrogen, and Oxygen are divided by the whole number $6$ and we get an empirical formula of glucose.
• $\text{Empirical formula}=\frac{{\mathrm{C}}_6{\mathrm{H}}_{12}{\mathrm{O}}_6}{6}={\mathrm{CH}}_2\mathrm{O}$
• Thus, the empirical formula for glucose is ${\mathrm{CH}}_2\mathrm{O}$.