Which of the following represents the empirical formula for the compound x4y8?

• A. x2y4
• B. x4y8
• C. x8y16
• D. xy2

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that the empirical formula represents the simplest whole-number ratio of atoms in a compound.
2. Given the formula x4y8, identify the subscripts for each element: 4 for x and 8 for y.
3. Find the greatest common divisor (GCD) of the subscripts 4 and 8, which is 4.
4. Divide each subscript by the GCD to simplify the ratio: \( \frac{4}{4} = 1 \) for x and \( \frac{8}{4} = 2 \) for y.
5. Write the empirical formula using the simplified subscripts: \( \mathrm{xy_2} \).