Because of its detrimental effect on the environment, the...

Because of its detrimental effect on the environment, the lead compound described in Problem 3.148 has been replaced by methyl tert-butyl ether (a compound of $\mathrm{C}, \mathrm{H},$ and $\mathrm{O}$ ) to enhance the performance of gasoline. (This compound is also being phased out because of its contamination of drinking water.) When $12.1 \mathrm{~g}$ of the compound are burned in an apparatus like the one shown in Figure $3.6,30.2 \mathrm{~g}$ of $\mathrm{CO}_{2}$ and $14.8 \mathrm{~g}$ of $\mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O}$ are formed. What is the empirical formula of the compound?

Key Concepts

Mole Concept and Conversion

The mole concept is essential in converting between the mass of a substance and the number of particles or moles present, using the substance’s molar mass. In combustion analysis, the masses of CO2 and H2O are converted into moles to determine the corresponding moles of carbon and hydrogen in the unknown compound, which is critical for establishing the atomic ratios.

Stoichiometry and Ratio Calculation

Stoichiometry is used to relate the quantities of reactants and products in a chemical reaction. In determining the empirical formula, once the moles of each element are obtained from the combustion products, these values are compared by dividing by the smallest number of moles to yield the simplest whole-number ratio that defines the empirical formula.

Empirical Formula Determination

This concept involves finding the simplest whole?number ratio of atoms in a compound based on experimental data. In combustion analysis, the amounts of CO2 and H2O produced during burning are used to determine the number of carbon and hydrogen atoms in the original substance. By also using the compound’s total mass, the amount of oxygen can be deduced, leading to the overall empirical formula.

Combustion Analysis

Combustion analysis is a technique used to determine the elemental composition of an organic compound by burning it in oxygen and measuring the masses of CO2 and H2O produced. The carbon in CO2 directly corresponds to the carbon in the original compound, and the hydrogen in H2O corresponds to the hydrogen in the compound. Oxygen in the original compound is calculated by subtracting the mass that comes from carbon and hydrogen from the total mass of the compound.

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