The empirical formula for glucose is ##”CH”_2″O”##.
An empirical formula represents the lowest whole number ratio of in a compound.
The molecular formula for glucose is ##”C”_6″H”_12″O”_6″##. The subscripts represent a multiple of an empirical formula. To determine the empirical formula, divide the subscripts by the GCF of ##6##, which gives ##”CH”_2″O”##.
The empirical formula ##”CH”_2″O”## shows very clearly that glucose, a carbohydrate, is composed of hydrated carbon atoms.
