The ratio of H was approximately 2.4057.
To get whole numbers for the empirical formula, we need to find the smallest integer that, when multiplied by 2.4057, results in a whole number.
Step 1: Approximate 2.4057 to a simple fraction.
2.4057 is very close to 2.4.
2.4 can be written as a fraction:
2.4=1024
This fraction can be simplified by dividing both the numerator and the denominator by their greatest common divisor, which is 2:
1024=10÷224÷2=512
Step 2: Use the denominator of the simplified fraction to multiply the ratios.
Since the ratio of H is approximately 512, multiplying both the C and H ratios by the denominator (5) will convert both to whole numbers:
For C: 1×5=5
For H: 512×5=12
This gives the whole number ratio of C:H as 5:12, leading to the empirical formula C5H12.