Chemistry – Stoichiometry - The mole and the Avogadro constant | e-Consult

Solution:

1. Calculate the molar mass of the empirical formula (C₂H₆):

   M(C₂H₆) = (2 x 12) + (6 x 1) = 24 + 6 = 30 g/mol

2. Calculate the ratio of the molar mass of the compound to the molar mass of the empirical formula:

   Ratio = 58 g/mol / 30 g/mol = 1.93 (approximately)

3. Multiply the subscripts in the empirical formula by the ratio to obtain the molecular formula:

   Molecular Formula = C₂H₆ x 1.93 ≈ C_3.86H_7.68. Since we need whole numbers, we round to the nearest whole number.

4. Therefore, the molecular formula is C₄H₈.

Answer: C₄H₈