What is the Empirical and Molecular Formula of Caffeine?

In summary, Caffeine has an empirical formula of C3H2N2O and a molecular formula of C8H10N4O2. This is based on the given information about its yield of CO2, H2O, and N, and its molecular weight.
  • #1
haengbon
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Homework Statement



What is the Empirical and Molecular Formula of caffeine, given these information:

0.376g caffeine would yield to 0.682 CO2 , 0.174g H2O and 0.110g N. The molecular weight if caffeine is 194 g/mole.

Homework Equations



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The Attempt at a Solution



0.682 CO2 [tex]\rightarrow[/tex] gC = 0.186 gC
0.174g H2O[tex]\rightarrow[/tex] gH = 9.735 x 10-03 gH
0.110gN [tex]\rightarrow [/tex]0.110 gN

0.376g sample = gC + gH + gN + gO
0.376g sample - 0.186 gC - 9.735 x 10-03 gH - 0.110gN = gO
gO = 0.070


C= [tex]0.186/12.01[/tex] = [tex]0.15/.004375[/tex] = 3.42 [tex]\approx[/tex] 3

H= [tex].009735/1.008[/tex] = [tex].009735/.004375[/tex] = 2

N= [tex]0.110/14.01[/tex] = [tex].00785/.004375[/tex] = 1.7 [tex]\approx[/tex] 2

O= [tex]0.070/16.00[/tex] = [tex].004375/.004375[/tex] = 1

EF: C3H2N2O

n= [tex]\frac{MW}{EFW}[/tex]

n= [tex]\frac{194}{82.066}[/tex]

n=2

MF= n(EF)
MF= 2(C3H2N2O)

MF= C6H4N4O2

Is this correct? :/ I think It's not but I hope it is! :)
 
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  • #2
The molecular formula for caffeine is C8H10N4O2.
 

1. What is the difference between empirical and molecular formula?

The empirical formula is the simplest whole number ratio of atoms in a compound, while the molecular formula gives the actual number of atoms present in a molecule.

2. What is the empirical formula of caffeine?

The empirical formula of caffeine is C3H4N2O.

3. How is the empirical formula of caffeine determined?

The empirical formula of caffeine is determined by dividing the mass of each element in a given sample by its atomic mass and then simplifying the ratios to the smallest whole number.

4. What is the molecular formula of caffeine?

The molecular formula of caffeine is C8H10N4O2.

5. How is the molecular formula of caffeine determined?

The molecular formula of caffeine is determined by multiplying the empirical formula by a whole number that represents the ratio between the molecular mass and empirical mass. In the case of caffeine, the molecular formula is 2 times the empirical formula.

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