Note Sheet Percent Composition

Percent Composition a comparison of the masses of the elements in a compound to the overall mass of the
compound

I. Determination using the chemical formula of the compound

Compare the molar masses of each of the elements to the formula mass of the entire compound

Example 1: Determine the percent composition of hydrogen and oxygen in water.

Molar Mass of Hydrogen in H2O - 1.0 g/mole X 2 units = 2.0 g/mole

Molar Mass of Oxygen in H2O - 16.0 g/mole X 1 unit = 16.0 g/mole

Formula Mass of H2O = 18.0 g/mole

Percent Composition of H = 2.0g/mole X 100 =

18.0 g/mole
Percent Composition of O = 16.0 g/mole X 100 =
18.0 g/mole

Example 2 : What is the percent composition of the elements in CO2?

II. Determination of an unknown through experimental analysis

Compares the actual masses of the elements in a compound to the overall mass of the
compound.

Example 3: .2370 g of an unknown compound is isolated from a plant leaf. Decomposition of this
compound yields .0948 g of carbon, .1264 g of oxygen and .0158 g of hydrogen. Determine the
percent composition of these elements in the compound.

Total mass of compound = .2370 g

Carbon: .__________ g/ .2370 g X 100 = 40 %

Oxygen .___________ g/ .2370 g X 100 = 53. 3 %

Hydrogen .0158 g/ .2370 g X 100 = __________________

Example: 4 A compound with a mass of 74.5 g is analyzed and found to have a percent
composition of 67 % chlorine, 28 % phosphorous and 5 % oxygen. What is the mass of each of
these elements in this compound?

Total mass of compound = 74.5 g