Determine the empirical formula of an oxide of silicon from the following:Mass of crucible = 18.20 g, mass of crucible + silicon = 18.48 g and...

The mass of the crucible is given as 18.2 g. The mass of
the crucible + mass of the silicon is 18.48 g.

This gives
the mass of the silicon alone as 18.48 - 18.20 = 0.28
g.

The mass of the crucible and the silicon oxide is 18.80
g

This gives the mass of the silicon oxide as 18.8 - 18.2 =
0.6 g

So we have 0.28 g of silicon reacting with 0.6 - 0.28
= 0.32 g of oxygen to give the silicon oxide.

The ratio of
the molar mass of oxygen to the molar mass of silicon is 16 : 28. From what we have
found above, that 0.32 g of oxygen reacts with .28 g of silicon, we can say that the
molecular formula of the silicon oxide is
SiO2.

The required empirical formula of the
silicon oxide is SiO2.