What is the purpose of calculating an empirical formula in chemistry?

Calculating an empirical formula serves to find the simplest whole-number ratio of the different elements present in a compound. This ratio provides fundamental insight into the composition of the substance, allowing chemists to understand the relative amounts of each element that make up the compound. The empirical formula is foundational in various chemical applications, including stoichiometry, where understanding the proportion of elements is crucial for predicting how compounds interact in reactions.

In contrast, determining the molecular mass of a compound would involve more detailed information than just the empirical formula, while predicting chemical reactions typically requires knowledge beyond elemental ratios. Visualizing the 3D structure of molecules relies on structural formulas or models, which represent arrangements of atoms in space rather than just their ratios. Therefore, the primary purpose of the empirical formula is indeed to convey the ratio of elements in a compound.