The empirical formula for this vitamin : C₃H₄O₃
The empirical formula is the smallest comparison of atoms of compound =mole ratio of the components
The principle of determining empirical formula
Mass of C in CO₂ :(MW C = 12 g/mol, CO₂=44 g/mol)
[tex]\tt \dfrac{12}{44}\times 1.4991=0.409~g[/tex]
Mass of H in H₂O :(MW H = 1 g/mol, H₂O = 18 g/mol)
[tex]\tt \dfrac{2.1}{18}\times 0.4092=0.0455~g[/tex]
Mass O = Mass sample - (mass C + mass H) :
[tex]\tt 1-(0.409+0.0455)=0.5455~g[/tex]
mol ratio C : H : O =
[tex]\tt \dfrac{0.409}{12}\div \dfrac{0.0455}{1}\div \dfrac{0.5455}{16}\\\\0.0341\div 0.0455\div 0.0341\rightarrow 1\div 1.33\div 1=3\div 4\div 3[/tex]
