Chemistry 2.4

Break down the molecular formula for acetic acid, C2H4O2?

2 carbon atoms, 4 hydrogen atoms and 2 oxygen atoms. 2:4:2. The smallest whole number ratio would make the empirical formula: CH2O

What are isomers?

Compounds with the same chemical formula but different molecular structures. Such as acetic acid and methyl formate (C2H4O2)

What does 2H represent? H2?

H2 is a molecular formular consisting of 2 atoms of the element bonded together. 2H represents two seperate hydrogen atoms that are not combined.sn

Empirical formula?

Indicates the types of atoms present and the simplest whole number ratio of the number of atoms in the compound.

Molecules of glucose (blood sugar) contain 6 carbon atoms, 12 hydrogen atoms, and 6 oxygen atoms. What are the molecular and empirical formulas of glucose?

Molecular formula: C6H12O6. The empirical formula is : CH2Ozz

Structural formula?

Same information as molecular, but also shows how the atoms are connected in the molecule.

Molecular formula?

Uses chemical symbols to indicate the types of atoms followed by subscripts to show the number of atoms of each type in the molecule.

Structural isomers?

compounds in which the molecules differ in how the atoms are connected to each other.

Spatial isomers?

the relative orientations of the atoms in space can be different.