You and a partner are asked to complete a lab entitled "Oxides of Ruthenium" that is scheduled to extend over two lab periods. The first lab, which is to be completed by your partner, is devoted to carrying out compositional analysis. In the second lab, you are to determine melting points. Upon going to lab you find two unlabeled vials, one containing a soft yellow substance and the other a black powder. You also find the following notes in your partner's notebook-Compound 1: 76.0% Ru and 24.0% O (by mass), Compound 2: 61.2% Ru and 38.8% O (by mass).
(a) What is the empirical formula for Compound 1?
(b) What is the empirical formula for Compound 2?
(c) Upon determining the melting points of these two compounds, you find that the yellow compound melts at 25oC, while the black powder does not melt up to the maximum temperature of your apparatus, 1200oC. What is the identity of the yellow compound? What is the identity of the black compound? Be sure to use the appropriate naming convention depending on whether the compound is better described as a molecular or ionic compound.