What is the empirical formula of H2O2?

Question

Wyatt Adkins · Accepted Answer

The empirical formula is the simplest whole number ratio that defines constituent atoms in a species.

Given the above definition the empirical formula of hydrogen peroxide is simply #OH#. Note that the molecular formula is ALWAYS a multiple of the empirical formula. That is #(EF)_n = MF#; where #EF, MF# are empirical and molecular formulae respectively and #n# is a whole number (what does #n# equal here?). What are the empirical formulae of benzene, ethylene, and acetylene; the molecular formulae are #C_6H_6#, #H_2C=CH_2#, and #HC-=HC#, respectively.

Mateo Aguilar · Answer

The empirical formula for the molecular formula #"H"_2"O"_2"# is #"HO"#.

The empirical formula of a compound is the lowest whole number ratio of elements in the compound. This ratio becomes the subscripts for the empirical formula.

The molecular formula #"H"_2"O"_2"# is a multiple of the empirical formula. We can know this because the ratio of #"2H":2"O"# is not the lowest whole number ratio. By dividing the subscripts by #2#, we can determine the lowest whole number ratio, which is #"1H":1"O"#. Therefore, the empirical formula for #"H"_2"O"_2"# is #"HO"#.

Sometimes the molecular and empirical formulas are the same.

Ellie Andrews · Answer

undefined Hydrogen peroxide's (H2O2) empirical formula is just HO.