Alapképlet

Alapképlet is a Hungarian term that translates to "empirical formula" in English. It represents the simplest whole-number ratio of atoms of each element in a compound. Unlike the molecular formula, which shows the actual number of atoms in a molecule, the empirical formula provides the most reduced ratio of these atoms. For example, the molecular formula of glucose is C6H12O6. Its empirical formula, however, is CH2O, as the ratio of carbon to hydrogen to oxygen atoms is 1:2:1. Determining the empirical formula is often a crucial step in identifying unknown compounds, particularly through elemental analysis. This analysis typically involves measuring the mass percentages of each element present in a sample. From these percentages, the moles of each element can be calculated, and subsequently, the simplest whole-number ratio representing the empirical formula can be derived. For ionic compounds, the formula unit itself represents the empirical formula, as they do not exist as discrete molecules.