Calculating Empirical Formulas from Experimental Data.

What's step 1 on working out empirical formulas from the masses of the products created in a reactions?

Use the equation moles= mass/mr to work out how many moles of each product has been made.

What's step 2 on working out empirical formulas from the masses of the products created in a reactions?

Use the moles of each product made to work out how many moles of each atom you started with.

What's step 3 on working out empirical formulas from the masses of the products created in a reactions?

You can then write down the ratio of moles present at the start.

What's step 4 on working out empirical formulas from the masses of the products created in a reactions?

Divide by the smallest number of moles to get a whole number ratio,

What's step 5 on working out empirical formulas from the masses of the products created in a reactions?

It tells you the empirical formula.

What happens if there's only 1 product?

You'll be told the mass of 1 of the reactants used instead.

How can you calculate the mass of a reactant if there's only 1 product?

Mass of reactant A= mass of product - mass of reactant B

What do you do once you know the mass of both reactants if there's only 1 product?

You can work out the moles of each reactant used and divide by smallest number of moles to get whole number ratio and it tells you the empirical formula.