What do you mean by the empirical formula of a compound? Chemistry Question and Answer

What do you mean by the empirical formula of a compound?

Empirical formula of a compound is

1. The simplest whole-number ratio of atoms of different elements present in a compound is called an empirical formula.

2. Empirical formula gives no formula mention of the actual numbers of atoms of each element in the molecule of the compound.

For Example:

The empirical formula of glucose is CH₂O.

It indicates that the ratio of C, H and O

atoms in a molecule of glucose is 1 : 2 : 1

whereas, its actual formula is C₆H₁₂O₆

.