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empirical formula vs. molecular formula: What's the difference?

An empirical formula and a molecular formula are two different ways of stating the chemical formula of a molecule. The molecular formula indicates the actual amounts of atoms. For example, the molecular formula of glucose is C₆H₁₂O₆ (indicating six carbon atoms, 12 hydrogen atoms, and six oxygen atoms). The empirical formula indicates the relative proportions of elements in the molecule—for glucose, it’s CH₂O, since there are two hydrogen atoms for every carbon and oxygen atom. Sometimes, the empirical formula and the molecular formula for a molecule are the same. For example, water is H₂O either way.