A chemist analyzes a hydrocarbon and finds it contains 85.7% carbon and 14.3% hydrogen by mass. What is its empirical formula?
Q1. A chemist analyzes a hydrocarbon and finds it contains 85.7% carbon and 14.3% hydrogen by mass. What is its empirical formula?
Answer: CH2
Explanation: Atomic ratios are 1:2. C2H4 is the molecular formula, not the empirical formula which must be the simplest ratio.