Question

The empirical formula of glucose is:
A. \[{C_6}{H_{12}}{O_6}\]
B. \[{C_3}{H_6}{O_3}\]
C. \[{C_2}{H_4}{O_2}\]
D. \[C{H_2}O\]

Answer 1

Hint: Empirical formula of a compound is a formula that gives the simplest whole number ratio of the atoms in the compound. It does not indicate the exact number of atoms present in the molecule but depicts the exact ratio of different atoms present in the molecule.

Complete step by step answer:
The empirical formula of a chemical compound is the simplest positive integer ratio of atoms present in a compound. The empirical formula of a compound may be the same as its molecular formula if it has only one atom of all the different atoms present in it. The molecular formula and the empirical formula of a compound are not necessarily the same. An empirical formula makes no mention of the arrangement or number of atoms. It just depicts the simplest ratio in which the different atoms are present in a molecule. The molecular formula, on the other hand, shows the number of each type of atom in a molecule. The structural formula shows the arrangement of the molecule. It is also possible for different types of compounds to have equal empirical formulas.
In the given question, as we know that the molecular formula of glucose is \[{C_6}{H_{12}}{O_6}\]. The empirical formula of glucose would be the simplest whole number ratio of all the atoms in the compound. Thus, the empirical formula of glucose is \[C{H_2}O\].

Hence, the correct answer is (D).

Note: Remember that the empirical formula of any compound has all the atoms in the simplest whole number ratio. If the atoms in any compound are present in fractions or decimals, it would not be called its empirical formula.