Question

What are the molecular and empirical formulas of fructose?

Answer 1

Hint: As we know that molecular formula ( which is also known as chemical formula) tells us about the number of atoms of each element present in that chemical compound whereas empirical formula of a chemical compound is referred to the simplest positive integer ratio of atoms present in a compound. So here we are asked about the molecular and empirical formulas of fructose.

Complete answer:
Let us first understand about molecular and empirical formulas in order to answer the following question:-
Molecular formula: This is also called a chemical formula and informs us regarding the number of atoms of each element present in a molecule or a compound. It helps us in drawing the actual structure of the molecule or compound as we know the information about the number of atoms of each element present in it.
Empirical formula: This formula informs us about the relative ratios of different atoms in a compound or a molecule. These ratios of atoms are holding true on the molar level as well. This formula cannot help us in making the actual structure of the molecule or compound as we do not have any information regarding the number of atoms of each element present in it.
Fructose: It is also known as fruit sugar and it is a simple ketogenic sugar which is found in many plants and there it is often bonded to glucose so as to form the disaccharide sucrose. Its molecular formula is $C_6{H}_{12}{O}_6$.
As we know that the empirical formula is derived by finding the greatest common factor among subscripts in the molecular formula and in the case of $C_6{H}_{12}{O}_6$, it is 6. So let us take the simplest ratio by dividing all the subscripts by 6 to get the empirical formula of maleic acid as shown below:-
$C_{6/6}{H}_{12/6}{O}_{6/6}$ = $C{H}_{2}O$
-Therefore the molecular formula of fructose is $C_6{H}_{12}{O}_6$ and its empirical formula is $C{H}_{2}O$.

Note:
-Remember that fructose is one among the three dietary monosaccharides which also includes glucose and galactose and these are absorbed directly into blood while digestion.
-Also fructose is a structural isomer of glucose as well galactose.