Isopentyl acetate is the molecule largely responsible for the aroma and taste of bananas. It is made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Combustion of a 3.256-g sample of isopentyl acetate produces 7.706 g CO2 and 3.156 g H2O. Using these results, what is the correct empirical formula for isopentyl acetate?

Explanation:

7.706 g of CO₂ will contain 12 x 7.706 / 44 g of C

= 2.1 g of C .

This will be contained in 3.256 g of isopentyl acetate

3.156 g of H₂O will contain 2 x 3.156 / 18 g of H

= .351 g of H

This will be contained in 3.256 g of isopentyl acetate

Rest will be oxygen

amount of oxygen in 3.256 g of isopentyl acetate

= 3.256 - ( 2.1 + .351 )

= .805 g

ratio of C , H , O in isopentyl acetate

= 2.1 g : .351 g : .805 g

2.1 / 12 : .351 / 1 : 0.805 / 16 ratio of moles

= .175 : .351 : .05  ratio of moles

= 3.5 : 7.02: 1

= 7 : 14 : 2

empirical formula of  isopentyl acetate

= C₇ H₁₄ O₂ .

2fe + 3h2so4 -> fe2(so4)3 + 3h2

it is necessary to balance equations in order to get the proper amount of reactants as well as products in order not to make a miscalculation.

you cannot change the subscripts as that would change the substance itself. for instance, diatomic elements such as h2 only have the subscript two when a gas. another example would be so4, if you were to change the subscript, the element would no longer be sulfate.

we change the coefficients instead as that only changes the number of molecules rather than the substance itself.

hope this !