Sixteen millilitre of a hydrocarbon gas was exploded with an excess of `O_2`. On cooling ,t he volume of the resulting gaseous mixture was reduced by 48 ml. When `KOH` was added, there was a further decrease of 48 ml in volume. Find the molecular formula of the compound.

Explanation

To find the molecular formula of the hydrocarbon gas (CxHy) based on the information provided, we can follow these steps:

### Step 1: Understand the Reaction
When the hydrocarbon (CxHy) is combusted with excess oxygen (O2), it produces carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O). The general reaction can be represented as:
\[ C_xH_y + O_2 \rightarrow CO_2 + H_2O \]

### Step 2: Determine the Volume of Products
Given that 16 mL of the hydrocarbon gas was used, we can express the volumes of the products formed:
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