Tartaric acid is the white, powdery substance that coats sour candies such as Sour Patch Kids. Combustion analysis of a 12.01-gg sample of tartaric acid, which contains only carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, produced 14.08 gg CO2CO2 and 4.32 gg H2OH2O. Part A Find the empirical formula for tartaric acid. Express your answer as a chemical formula. Enter the elements in the order C, H, and

C2H3O3

Explanation:

Empirical formula is the simplest whole number ratio of moles of atoms that you can find in a molecule.

In combustion analysis all Carbon reacts producing CO2 and all hydrogen reacts producing H2O. With the differences in masses we can find the mass of oxygen and their moles:

Moles CO2 = Moles C:

14.08g * (1mol/44.01g) = 0.3199 moles C * (12.01g/mol) = 3.8423g C

Moles H2O:

4.32g H2O * (1mol/18.01g) = 0.2399 moles H2O * (2mol H / 1molH2O) = 0.4797moles H = 0.4797g H

Mass O:

12.01g = Mass O + 3.8423g C + 0.4797g H

Mass O = 7.688g O

Moles O:

7.688g O * (1mol/16g) = 0.48 moles O

The ratio of atoms (Dividing in the moles of C that are the lower number of moles):

O: 0.48moles O / 0.3199 moles C = 1.50

C: 0.3199 moles C / 0.3199 moles C = 1

H: 0.4797 moles H / 0.3199 moles C = 1.50

As empirical formula requires whole numbers:

O: 1.50* 2 = 3

C: 1*2 = 2

H: 1.50*2 = 3

The empirical formula is: