| Empirical Formula | Molecular Formula | |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | A chemical formula that gives the simplest whole number ratio of atoms in a compound. | A chemical formula that gives the exact number of atoms of each element in a molecule of a compound. |
| Explanation | The empirical formula of a compound is the simplest whole number ratio of atoms that represents the compound. It is derived by dividing the number of atoms of each element by the greatest common factor and using the resulting whole numbers as the subscripts of the formula. | The molecular formula of a compound gives the exact number of atoms of each element in a molecule of the compound. It can be derived by determining the mass of each element in a compound and then using these mass values to calculate the ratio of atoms in the compound. |
| Example | The empirical formula for glucose is CH2O, which gives the simplest whole number ratio of atoms in the compound, one carbon atom, two hydrogen atoms, and one oxygen atom. | The molecular formula for glucose is C6H12O6, which gives the exact number of atoms of each element in a molecule of glucose, six carbon atoms, twelve hydrogen atoms, and six oxygen atoms. |
 |
| Difference between Empirical and Molecular formula |