Crime scene investigators keep a wide variety of compounds on hand to with identifying unknown substances they find in the course of their duties. one such investigator, while reorganizing their shelves, has mixed up several small vials and is unsure about the identity of a certain powder. elemental analysis of the compound reveals that it is 63.57% carbon, 6.000% hydrogen, 9.267% nitrogen, 21.17% oxygen by mass. which of the following compounds could the powder be?

The question is incomplete, here is the complete question:

Crime scene investigators keep a wide variety of compounds on hand to help with identifying unknown substances they find in the course of their duties.  One such investigator, while reorganizing their shelves, has mixed up several small vials and is unsure about the identity of a certain powder.  Elemental analysis of the compound reveals that it is 63.57% carbon, 6.000% hydrogen, 9.267% nitrogen, 21.17% oxygen by mass. Which of the following compounds could the powder be?  

a.) = 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), illicit drug

b.) = hexamethylene triperoxide diamine (HMTD), commonly used explosive

c.) = heroin, illicit drug

d.) = acetaminophen, analgesic

e.) = 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), common used explosive

f.) = morphine, analgesic

g.) = methamphetamine, stimulant

h.) = caffeine, stimulant

The powder could be acetaminophen, analgesic  having chemical formula

Explanation:

We are given:

Percentage of C = 63.57 %

Percentage of H = 6.000 %

Percentage of N = 9.267 %

Percentage of O = 21.17 %

Let the mass of compound be 100 g. So, percentages given are taken as mass.

Mass of C = 63.57 g

Mass of H = 6.000 g

Mass of N = 9.267 g

Mass of O = 21.17 g

To formulate the empirical formula, we need to follow some steps:

Moles of Carbon =

Moles of Hydrogen =

Moles of Nitrogen =

Moles of Oxygen =

For the mole ratio, we divide each value of the moles by the smallest number of moles calculated which is 0.662 moles.

For Carbon =

For Hydrogen =

For Nitrogen =

For Oxygen =

The ratio of C : H : N : O = 8 : 9 : 1 : 2

The empirical formula for the given compound is

Hence, the powder could be acetaminophen, analgesic  having chemical formula

"hydrogen bonding is the attraction of h atoms in the water molecule (slight + charge) to o atoms in a neighboring water molecule (slight - charge); it is a weak interatomic force. but it is still strong enough to the water molecules "stick" together."