Question

what are the molecular and empirical chemical formulas of a compound made up of these molecules? the lines stand for chemical bonds between the atoms. you can ignore the dots -- they represent \lone pairs\ and youll learn about them later. empirical formula: molecular formula:

Explanation:

Step1: Identify the atoms in the molecule

The molecule has 2 carbon (C) atoms, 4 hydrogen (H) atoms and 2 oxygen (O) atoms.

Step2: Determine the molecular formula

The molecular formula represents the actual number of each type of atom in a molecule. So the molecular formula is $C_{2}H_{4}O_{2}$.

Step3: Find the empirical formula

The empirical formula is the simplest whole - number ratio of atoms in a compound. Divide the number of each atom by the greatest common divisor. For 2 C, 4 H and 2 O, the greatest common divisor is 2. So the empirical formula is $CH_{2}O$.

Answer:

Molecular formula: $C_{2}H_{4}O_{2}$
Empirical formula: $CH_{2}O$