Which of the following molecular formulas is also an empirical formula?

• A. C_6H_{12}O_6
• B. C_4H_{10}
• C. CH_2O
• D. C_2H_4O_2

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the difference between a molecular formula and an empirical formula. A molecular formula shows the actual number of atoms of each element in a molecule, while an empirical formula shows the simplest whole-number ratio of atoms in the compound.
2. For each given molecular formula, determine the ratio of atoms for each element and simplify it to the smallest whole numbers.
3. For example, take C_6H_{12}O_6: divide the subscripts by their greatest common divisor (GCD), which is 6, to get C_1H_2O_1 or CH_2O. This is the empirical formula.
4. Check the other formulas similarly: C_4H_{10} cannot be simplified further because 4 and 10 share a GCD of 2, so the empirical formula would be C_2H_5, which is different from the molecular formula.
5. Compare the simplified ratios to the options given and identify which formula is already in its simplest form (empirical formula).