The organic compound Vitamin -C, has the following composition by mass: `40.92% C,4.58%H`, and the rest is oxygen. Determine its molecular formula . Molar mass of the substance is `176 g "mol"^(-1)`.

Explanation

Empirical formula is `C_3H_4O_3`
Empirical formula mass `=(12xx13)+(1xx4)+(3xx16)=36+4+48=88`
Molecular formula `=n xx` empirical formula
`n=("Molecular mass")/(Empirical formula mass")=(176)/(88)=2`
`n=2`
`therefore` Molecular formula `=n xx ("emp. formula")=2xx(C_3H_4O_3)=C_6H_80_6`