The empirical formula for C6H12O6 is CH2O.
To explain this, we first need to understand what an empirical formula is. An empirical formula represents the simplest whole-number ratio of the different types of atoms in a compound. In the case of glucose, C6H12O6, we have six carbon (C) atoms, twelve hydrogen (H) atoms, and six oxygen (O) atoms.
To find the empirical formula, we need to divide the number of each type of atom by the greatest common divisor of these numbers. Here, the highest number of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen is 6. Dividing each of the subscripts by 6, we get:
- Carbon: 6 ÷ 6 = 1
- Hydrogen: 12 ÷ 6 = 2
- Oxygen: 6 ÷ 6 = 1
Thus, the simplest ratio is 1:2:1, which translates to the empirical formula of CH2O.