Step 1: Identify the number of each type of atom in the molecular formula C6H12O6. There are 6 carbon (C) atoms, 12 hydrogen (H) atoms, and 6 oxygen (O) atoms.
Step 2: Write down the ratio of the atoms: C: 6, H: 12, O: 6.
Step 3: Find the greatest common divisor (GCD) of the numbers 6, 12, and 6. The GCD is 6.
Step 4: Divide the number of each type of atom by the GCD. For carbon: 6 ÷ 6 = 1, for hydrogen: 12 ÷ 6 = 2, for oxygen: 6 ÷ 6 = 1.
Step 5: Write the empirical formula using the simplified ratios: C1H2O1, which is usually written as CH2O.
