What is the empirical formula for ascorbic acid if it contains 41.02% carbon, 4.55% hydrogen, and 54.43% oxygen?

Answer 1

Assume 100 g of ascorbic acid:

Moles C = 41.02 g C x 1 mol C / 12 g = 3.418 moles C

Moles H = 4.55 g H x 1 mol H / 1 g = 4.55 moles H

Moles O = 54.43 g O x 1 mol O / 16 g =3.41 moles O

Divide all by 3.41 to try to get all to be whole numbers...

3.418/3.41 = 1 mol C

4.55/3.41 = 1.33 mol H

3.41/3.41 = 1 mol O

Now multiply all by 3 to get whole numbers...

3 mol C

4 mol H

3 mol O

Empirical formula = C₃H₄O₃