Empirical and Molecular Formulae
Q: Determine the empirical formula of a compound containing 40% carbon, 6.7% hydrogen, and 53.3% oxygen.
Did You Know?
FALSE. This is a common misconception. The significance of zeros depends on their position: (1) Leading zeros (before the first non-zero digit) are NEVER significant. Example: 0.0045 has 2 s.f., not 4. The first two zeros just locate the decimal point. (2) Captive zeros (between non-zero digits) are ALWAYS significant. Example: 1002 has 4 s.f. (3) Trailing zeros AFTER a decimal point are ALWAYS significant. Example: 12.00 has 4 s.f. (4) Trailing zeros in whole numbers WITHOUT a decimal point are ambiguous. Example: 1200 could have 2, 3, or 4 s.f. Understanding these rules is essential for ECZ exams, particularly in Paper 2 where calculations involve measurements and experimental data. Many students lose marks by counting all zeros as significant.
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