What is the definition of an empirical formula?

The empirical formula is defined as the simplest whole-number ratio of the elements in a compound. This means that it provides information about the relative quantities of each element present in a compound without detailing the actual number of atoms in a molecule or the arrangement of those atoms. For instance, the empirical formula of glucose is CH₂O, which indicates that for every carbon atom, there are two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom present, reflecting the most reduced ratio of the constituent elements.

This concept is essential in chemistry because it allows scientists to understand the proportion of elements in a compound, which is particularly useful when dealing with compounds that can exist with different molecular formulas but share the same ratio of elements. Hence, this option accurately captures the essence of what an empirical formula represents.