Question

Why do you divide every mol amount by the smallest one when you are evaluating the empirical formula?

Answer 1

I understand that's what you're SUPPOSED to do, but why is it that you do it to get the relative amounts of each amount in a compound?

Answer 2

An Empirical formula shows the ratio of atoms within a molecule.

Answer 3

C2H6 its Empirical formula is CH3

Answer 4

And the smallest number does this because it will be that number compared to everything to everything else as 1? So like

Answer 5

A molecular formula is the same as or a multiple of the empirical formula, and is based on the actual number of atoms of each type in the compound

Answer 6

I guess that makes sense. I guess that's valid.