A 27g sample of an unknown hydrocarbon is burned in excess oxygen to form 88g of co2 and 27g of h2o. What is the possible molecular formula of the hydrocarbon?

Question

anonymous · Answer

I got C2H3 but apprently thats not the answer, it is C4H3, i dont see how though cuz i've done it multiple times...

cuanchi · Answer

I think that your answer is correct, looks that the problem  has some typo mistake. Besides with no information about the molecular mass you can not calculate the MOLECULAR formula. You can calculate ONLY the EMPIRICAL formula.
Then if you have 27g of C4H3 with a formula mass of 51g/mol, you will have only 0.52 moles, that after combustion will produce 2 moeles of CO2=88g but only 0.75moles of H2O= 13.5g  and not 27g as the problem said.