The compound contains 6 C atom 1 N atom 11 H atoms and 1 O atoms. Carbon monoxide C O has carbon and oxygen atoms in the ratio 1. The molecular formula of ribose is C 5 H 10 O 5 which can be reduced to the empirical formula CH 2 O.
It is determined using data from experiments and therefore.
For example the empirical formula of ethane is CH3 because both numbers in its molecular formula can be simplified by dividing by 2. In chemistry the empirical formula of a chemical compound is the simplest positive integer ratio of atoms present in a compound. Glucose has a molecular formula of C 6 H 12 O 6. In the same manner compounds can have the same molecular formula.