1.3. Exercises

1.3.1. Exercise 1

Sorbic acid is commonly used as a food preservative, often in the form of its calcium, potassium and sodium salts.

1. Write the molecular formula of sorbic acid.

 

 

 

2. Look up calcium sorbate, potassium sorbate, and sodium sorbate on PubChem. Write the molecular formulas that you find there.

 

calcium sorbate:            

potassium sorbate:     

sodium sorbate:              

 

3. Typically, in chemical indexes arranged by molecular formula, organic salts are grouped under the molecular formula of the parent acid rather than under their individual molecular formulas. Based on your answers to a) and b), explain why.

 

 

1.3.2. Exercise 2

What kind of structural information can an empirical formula provide? A molecular formula?