Key Stage 4
Meaning
An empirical formula is the simplest ratio of the different types of atom in a compound.
About Empirical Formulae
The empirical formula of a compound may not be the same as the chemical formula:
- Ethane - Chemical Formula C2H6, Empirical Formula CH3
- Ethene - Chemical Formula C2H4, Empirical Formula CH2
- Propene - Chemical Formula C3H6, Empirical Formula CH2
- Glucose - Chemical Formula C6H12O6, Empirical Formula CH2O
- Lactic Acid - Chemical Formula C3H6O3, Empirical Formula CH2O
- Empirical formulae are calculated from the amount of atoms in a chemical reaction.
- The number of atoms can be found if you know the mass of different elements and the relative atomic mass of the elements in the reaction.