The empirical formula of the copper chloride hydrate compound is CuCl2 · 2H2O.
Discussion of Theory
The technique of gravimetric analysis can be used to find the empirical formula of a compound when the amount of it is known. By dehydrating the copper chloride hydrate sample and using it for an elemental copper-producing chemical reaction, one can isolate the masses of the water, copper, and chloride and determine their mole ratios. Since the Law of Definite Proportions states that a chemical compound always contains fixed proportions of its constituent elements by mass, the mole ratios can be used to find the empirical formula of the copper chloride hydrate compound. When performed correctly, gravimetric analysis is one of the most