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Empirical And Molecular Formula

Easychemistry

A hydrocarbon contains 92.3% carbon by mass and has a molar mass of 78 g/mol. What is its molecular formula?

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About This Question

Subject
chemistry
Chapter
some basic concepts in chemistry
Topic
empirical and molecular formula
Difficulty
Easy
Year
2025
Tags
empirical formulamolecular formulahydrocarbonspercentage compositionmolar mass

Solution

Correct Answer:

\(\text{C}_6\text{H}_6\)

To find the molecular formula, first determine the empirical formula from percentage composition, then scale it using the molar mass. Carbon is 92.3%, so hydrogen is (100 - 92.3 = 7.7%). Moles ratio: C (= 92.3/12 = 7.69), H (= 7.7/1 = 7.7). Dividing by the smaller value: C (\approx 1), H (\approx 1). Empirical formula is (\text{CH}) with empirical mass (= 13) g/mol. Multiplying factor (n = 78/13 = 6). Therefore molecular formula is (\text{C}_6\text{H}_6) (benzene). Option (\text{CH}) is the empirical formula only, not the molecular formula with molar mass 78. Option (\text{C}_2\text{H}_2) has molar mass 26, inconsistent with 78 g/mol ((n) would be 3, giving (\text{C}_6\text{H}_6), but (\text{C}_2\text{H}_2) itself is wrong). Option (\text{C}_3\text{H}_4) has molar mass 40, which does not divide 78 to give an integer. This is a classic NCERT empirical-to-molecular formula problem. Plausibility check: (\text{C}_6\text{H}_6) has molar mass (6(12)+6(1)=78) g/mol, confirming the answer.

This easy difficulty chemistry question is from the chapter some basic concepts in chemistry, covering the topic of empirical and molecular formula. It appeared in the 2025 exam.

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