A compound contains elements X and Y in 1 : 4 mass ratio. If the atomic masses of X and Y are in ratio 1 : 2, then empirical formula will be

Options

A. XY
B. `XY_(2)`
C. `X_(2)Y`
D. `X_(4)Y`

Answer

To find the empirical formula of the compound containing elements X and Y in a 1:4 mass ratio, with atomic masses in a 1:2 ratio, we can follow these steps:

### Step 1: Define the Masses of X and Y
Given the mass ratio of X to Y is 1:4, we can assign:
- Mass of X = 1 gram
- Mass of Y = 4 grams

### Step 2: Determine the Atomic Masses of X and Y
The atomic masses of X and Y are in the ratio 1:2. We can assign:
- Atomic mass of X = 1 g/mol
- Atomic mass of Y = 2 g/mol

### Step 3: Calculate the Number of Moles of Each Element
Using the formula for moles (moles = mass/atomic mass):
- Moles of X = Mass of X / Atomic mass of X = 1 g / 1 g/mol = 1 mole
- Moles of Y = Mass of Y / Atomic mass of Y = 4 g / 2 g/mol = 2 moles

### Step 4: Determine the Simplest Ratio of Moles
Now we have:
- Moles of X = 1
- Moles of Y = 2

The simplest ratio of X to Y is 1:2.

### Step 5: Write the Empirical Formula
Based on the simplest ratio, the empirical formula can be written as:
- Empirical formula = X₁Y₂, which simplifies to XY₂.

Thus, the empirical formula of the compound is **XY₂**.

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