Empirical Formulae......

[TheTik]

ok im having problems with this one question out of my 50. here it is

 

A 1.254g sample of an organic compund that contains only carbon, hydrogen and oxygen reacts with a stream of clorine gas (Cl2). After the reaction 4.730g of HCl and 9.977g of CCl4 are obtained. Determine the empirical formula of the compund.

 

anything will help

and thanks in advance

 

thetik

[akcapr]

as a hint, figure out how much of the organic compound and Cl2 would be needed to make the products- how much, O, C, H, and CL.

[woelen]

ok im having problems with this one question out of my 50. here it is

 

 

 

anything will help

and thanks in advance

 

thetik

This problem cannot be solved with this information. Where does the oxygen remain? Is the oxygen removed as water (H2O). With these reactions, however, the oxygen also could be carried over as COCl2 (phosgene), which is a very common oxidation product when an oxygen-containing haydrocarbon is broken down in a stream of chlorine.

[RyanJ]

This problem cannot be solved with this information. Where does the oxygen remain? Is the oxygen removed as water (H2O). With these reactions, however, the oxygen also could be carried over as COCl2 (phosgene), which is a very common oxidation product when an oxygen-containing haydrocarbon is broken down in a stream of chlorine.

 

Thats a bad question if it cannot be answered...

 

I'm shure they arn't allowed to ask trick questions like that.

 

Cheers,

 

Ryan Jones

[woelen]

Thats a bad question if it cannot be answered...

 

I'm shure they arn't allowed to ask trick questions like that.

 

Cheers' date='

 

Ryan Jones[/quote']

I think that the OP has left out some important information when asking this question here . Btw, the oxygen also could be carried over as CO2, yet another possible variation.

[RyanJ]

I think that the OP has left out some important information when asking this question here . Btw, the oxygen also could be carried over as CO2, yet another possible variation.

 

So the question can only be answered if the Oxygen product is included... I suppose you need those for the equations from which you derive the ratios right?

 

Cheers,

 

Ryan Jones

[Skye]

It may be that no oxygen is present in the original compound.

[RyanJ]

It may be that no oxygen is present in the original compound.

 

The question specifically said there was:

 

A 1.254g sample of an organic compund that contains only carbon, hydrogen and oxygen reacts with a stream of clorine gas (Cl2). After the reaction 4.730g of HCl and 9.977g of CCl4 are obtained. Determine the empirical formula of the compund.

 

Cheers,

 

Ryan Jones

[woelen]

So the question can only be answered if the Oxygen product is included... I suppose you need those for the equations from which you derive the ratios right?

 

Cheers' date='

 

Ryan Jones[/quote']

Ryan, you're right. I derive a set of linear equations for each of the three elements and solving these gives the solution to this problem. Without info on the oxygen compound formed, I have more unknowns than equations and I cannot find a solution.

[RyanJ]

Ryan, you're right. I derive a set of linear equations for each of the three elements and solving these gives the solution to this problem. Without info on the oxygen compound formed, I have more unknowns than equations and I cannot find a solution.

 

Its like having a puzzle with one of the pieces missing. I suppose there could be loads of possible resultant compounds but wihtout the exact one the odds of finding the correct one are well... not good

 

Cheers,

 

Ryan Jones

[TheTik]

the funny thing is this is all i got in the textbook... so there is no possible answer without any info on the oxygen? thx for the help, im gonna kill my teacher now:-)

 

cheers

 

Thetik

[RyanJ]

the funny thing is this is all i got in the textbook... so there is no possible answer without any info on the oxygen? thx for the help' date=' im gonna kill my teacher now:-)

 

cheers

 

Thetik[/quote']

 

Nope - you'd have to guess what the oxygen product would be and that would probably be wrong without knowing exactly what it was so the results would then be wrong

 

Cheers,

 

Ryan Jones

[Skye]

Ryan, I thought whoever wrote might have accidentally included oxygen, rather than accidentally leaving out the oxygen containing product. But no, it doesn't work out if you do the sums.

[RyanJ]

Ryan, I thought whoever wrote might have accidentally included oxygen, rather than accidentally leaving out the oxygen containing product

 

Ah right - my appology

 

Cheers,

 

Ryan Jones