5072 Chemistry Syllabus Notes

Formulae, Stoichiometry and Mole Concept

Chemical formulae/Construction of equation:

… Really?

What goes in must come out. Conservation of mass.

Relative masses:

Relative atomic mass, Ar, is the average mass of one atom of an element as compared
1
to the mass of a carbon-12 isotope.
12

Relative molecular mass, Mr, is the sum of all the atomic masses of the constituent
1
atoms of a molecule as compared to the mass of a carbon-12 isotope.
12

Percentage masses

The percentage mass of an element in a particular compound is as follows:

Mass of element∈compound
% mass of element∈compound = ×100 %
Mass of compound

The empirical formula of a compound is given by the mole ratio of the elements in the
compound in its simplest form. It is derived as follows:

% mass of element 1 % mass of element 2

Mole ratio of elements∈compound = :
A r of element 1 Ar of element 2

Given the empirical formula of a compound, it is possible to calculate the molecular

formula of the compound as follows:

Let M r of empirical formula=x

Let empirical formula= X a Y b
∴ M r of molecular formula=( n ) x
∴ Molecular formula=X na Y nb
Stoichiometric calculations
Overall:

Percentage yield/purity:

Actual yield
% yield= ×100 %
Calculated yield

Mass of pure substance

% purity= × 100 %
Total mass of substance