Part III:

Molecular Formula
Pre-requisites:
Ar, Mr
% composition
Empirical formula
Molecular Formula
Recap: Multiply by n

Empirical formula  Molecular Formula

Divide by n
Multiply by n
CH2  (CH2)n
Divide by n

Empirical Formula Molecular Formula

Relative Molecular Mass (Mr)
Molecular Mr Empirical Mr
Formula Formula
C2H6 12x2+1x6=CH3 12+1x3=15
30
C3H9 12x3+1x9= CH3 12+1x3=15
45
C6H12O6 12x6+1x12 CH2O 12+1x2+16
+16x6=180 =30
 Multiply by n
Empirical Molecular formulae

AxBy  (AxBy)n
Mr of (AxBy)n =
n ( Mr of AxBy)
How to calculate Molecular Formula?
 find n
 Step1:Find the empirical formula,
e.g. AxBy
 Step2: Find the Mr of AxBy
 Step3: Find n
 Step4: Hence, the molecular
formula is AxnByn
Example1:
 Given that an unknown compound has an
empirical formula P2O5, and relative
molecular mass is 284, hence find the
molecular formula of the compound.
Solution:
Mr (P2O5) = 31x 2 + 16 x 5
= 142

Therefore,
n = 284 / 142 = 2

The molecular formula is P4O10.

Example 2:
A compound is found to contain 3·0
g of carbon and 0·5 g of
hydrogen. The relative molecular
mass of the compound is 42.
What is the molecular formula of
the compound?
Thinking process

Mass of each individual

element  molar ration
 empirical formula 
molecular formula
Solution:
72
27.71
16
12
29
= 42.544
274 C H

Mass / g 3.0 0.5

Relative 12 1
atomic mass
Molar Ratio 3.0/12= 0.25 0.5/1= 0.5
Simple Ratio 1 2
Solution:
Hence, the empirical formula is CH2.

(12 + 1 x 2) n = 42

n=3

Therefore, the molecular formula is C3H6.

Example 3:
The general formula of an unknown
chemical compound is CnH2n+2.
The compound contains 82.76%
by mass of carbon. Find the
empirical formula and hence
molecular formula.
Solution: 5
2
C H

% compostion 82.76% 100% - 82.76%

= 17.24%
Mass in 100g 82.76g 17.24g
of compound
Relative atomic 12 1
mass
Molar Ratio 82.76/12= 6.897 17.24/1= 17.24
Simple Ratio 1 5/2
Solution:
Hence, the empirical formula is C2H5.
Since the general formula is CnH2n+2,
the molecular formula of the compound is
C4H10.
Part IV: Molar Gas
Volume
Pre-requisites:
Mole concept
Molar Gas Volume
One mole of any gas occupies
24 dm 3
(24000 cm3) at room temperature

and pressure ( r.t.p. ).

 24dm3---Molar Gas Volume!

Applies to gases only!
Relation between mass, mole, and
volume of gases

1. mass  mole  volume

(in dm3)
2. No. of particles  mole
 mass or volume
Example 1:

Calculate the volume of

HCl gas measured at
r.t.p, given that the total
mass of the gas is 50
g.
Thinking process:
Volume  mole  mass (given!)
Solution:
No. of moles:
50 / (1 + 35.5) = 1.370 (to 4 s.f.)

Volume at r.t.p :
1.370 x 24 = 32. 9 dm (to 3 s.f.)
3