Allicin is the compound responsible for the characteristic...

Allicin is the compound responsible for the characteristic smell of garlic. An analysis of the compound gives the following percent composition by mass: C: 44.4 percent, $\mathrm{H}: 6.21$ percent, $\mathrm{S}: 39.5$ percent, $\mathrm{O}:$ 9.86 percent. Calculate its empirical formula. What is its molecular formula given that its molar mass is about $162 \mathrm{~g}$ ?

Allicin is the compound responsible for the characteristic smell of garlic. An analysis of the compound gives the following percent composition by mass:
C: 44.4 percent, $\mathrm{H}: 6.21$ percent, $\mathrm{S}: 39.5$ percent, $\mathrm{O}:$ 9.86 percent. Calculate its empirical formula. What is its molecular formula given that its molar mass is about $162 \mathrm{~g}$ ?

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Key Concepts

Percent Composition

This concept involves expressing the mass of each element in a compound as a percentage of the total molar mass. It is used as the starting point for determining the number of moles of each element, serving as a basis for further calculations in formula determination.

Molar Mass

Molar mass is the mass of one mole of a substance, usually expressed in grams per mole. It is crucial in scaling the empirical formula to find the true molecular formula, as it provides a means to correlate the simple ratio given by the empirical formula with the actual mass of the compound.

Empirical Formula Calculation

Calculating the empirical formula involves converting the percent composition of each element to moles by dividing by the element's atomic mass, then determining the simplest whole-number mole ratio among them. The empirical formula represents the simplest ratio of atoms in a compound, not necessarily the actual number of atoms.

Molecular Formula Determination

Once the empirical formula is obtained, the molecular formula is determined by comparing the empirical formula mass with the compound's molar mass, and finding the multiplication factor that converts the empirical formula to the molecular formula. This step provides the actual number of atoms of each element in a single molecule of the compound.

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