example
•18.94 g Al reacts with O to make 35.74  g aluminum oxide. what is the empirical formula? (note: where is g O?)
•18.94 g Al è 0.701 mol Al
•16.80 g O è 1.05 mol O
•0.701 / 0.701 = 1 Al
•1.05 / 0.701 = 1.5 O
•This is a 2:3 ratio, therefore Al2O3