Unit 6: The Mathematics of Chemical Formulas

# of H2O
# of H atoms # of O atoms
molecules
1 2 1
2 4 2
3 6 3
100 200 100
6.02 x 1023 2 (6.02 x 1023) 6.02 x 1023

mass: mass: mass:

18 g 2g 16 g

molar mass: the mass of one mole of a substance

PbO2 Pb: 1 (207.2 g) = 207.2 g

239.2 g
O: 2 (16.0 g) = 32.0 g
HNO3 H: 1 (1.0 g) = 1.0 g
63.0 g
N: 1 (14.0 g) = 14.0 g
O: 3 (16.0 g) = 48.0 g
ammonium N: 3 (14.0 g) = 42.0 g
phosphate H: 12 (1.0 g) = 12.0 g
149.0 g
NH41+ PO43– P: 1 (31.0 g) = 31.0 g
(NH4)3PO4 O: 4 (16.0 g) = 64.0 g
percentage composition: the mass % of each element
in a compound
g element
% of element  x 100
molar mass of compound
Find % composition:
PbO2
Pb: 1(207.2 g) = 207.2 g Pb  239.2 g  86.6% Pb
O: 2(16.0 g) = 32 g O  239.2 g  13.4% O
(NH4)3PO4
N: 3(14.0 g) = 42.0 g P  149.0 g  28.2% N
H: 12(1.0 g) = 12.0 g H  149.0 g  8.1% H
P: 1(31.0 g) = 31.0 g P  149.0 g  20.8% P
O: 4(16.0 g) = 64.0 g O  149.0 g  43.0% O
zinc acetate
Zn2+ CH3COO1–  Zn(CH3COO)2
Zn: 1(65.4 g) = 65.4 g Zn  183.4 g  35.7% Zn
C: 4(12.0 g) = 48.0 g C  183.4 g  26.2% C
H: 6(1.0 g) = 6.0 g H  183.4 g  3.3% H
O: 4(16.0 g) = 64.0 g O  183.4 g  34.9% O
183.4 g
Finding an Empirical Formula from Experimental Data
1. Find # of g of each element.
2. Convert each g to mol.
3. Divide each “# of mol” by the smallest “# of mol.”
4. Use ratio to find formula.

A compound is 45.5% yttrium and 54.5% chlorine.

Find its empirical formula.
 1mol Y 
45.5 g Y    0.512 mol Y  0.512  1
 88.9 g Y 
 1mol Cl 
54.5 g Cl    1.535 mol Cl  0.512  3
 35.5 g Cl 
YCl3
A ruthenium/sulfur compound is 67.7% Ru. Find its
empirical formula.
 1mol Ru 
67.7 g Ru    0.670 mol Ru  0.670  1
 101.1 g Ru 
 1mol S 
32.3 g S    1.006 mol S  0.670  1.5
 32.1 g S 
RuS1.5  Ru2S3
A 17.40 g sample of a technetium/oxygen compound
contains 11.07 g of Tc. Find the empirical formula.
 1mol Tc 
11.07 g Tc    0.113 mol Tc  0.113  1
 97.9 g Tc 
 1mol O 
6.33 g O    0.396 mol O  0.113  3.5
 16.0 g O 
TcO3.5  Tc2O7

A compound contains 4.63 g lead, 1.25 g nitrogen,

and 2.87 g oxygen. Name the compound.
 1mol Pb 
4.63 g Pb    0.0223 mol Pb  0.0223  1
 207.2 g Pb 
 1mol N 
1.25 g N    0.0893 mol N  0.0223  4
 14.0 g N 
 1mol O 
2.87 g O    0.1794 mol O  0.0223  8
 16.0 g O 
PbN4O8
Pb(NO2)4  Pb? 4 NO21–
lead (IV) nitrite
plumbic nitrite
To find molecular formula…
1). Find empirical formula.
2). Find molar mass of empirical formula.
3). Find n = mm molecular
mm empirical
4). Multiply all parts of empirical formula by n.

A carbon/hydrogen compound is 7.7% H and has a

molar mass of 78 g. Find its molecular formula.
 1mol C 
92.3 g C    7.69 mol C  7.69  1
 12.0 g C 
 1mol H 
7.7 g H    7.7 mol H  7.69  1 CH
 1.0 g H 
mmemp = 13 g  n = 78 g  13 g = 6  C6H6
A compound has 26.33 g nitrogen, 60.20 g oxygen,
and molar mass 92 g. Find molecular formula.
 1mol N 
26.33 g N    1.881 mol N  1.881  1
 14.0 g N 
NO2
 1mol O 
60.20 g O    3.763 mol O  1.881  2
 16.0 g O 
mmemp = 46 g  n = 92 g  46 g = 2  N2O4
Mole Calculations

New Points about Island Diagram:

a. Diagram now has four islands.
b. “Mass Island” now for elements or compounds
c. “Particle Island” now for atoms or molecules
d. “Volume Island”: for gases only
1 mol @ STP = 22.4 L = 22.4 dm3

What mass is 1.29 mol ferrous nitrate?

Fe2+ NO31–  Fe(NO3)2

 179.8 g 
X g Fe(NO3 ) 2  1.29 mol   232 g Fe(NO3 ) 2
 1 mol 

How many molecules is 415 L sulfur dioxide at STP?

 1 mol   6.02 x 10 m' cules 

23
25
X m' cules SO 2  415 L     1.12 x 10
 22.4 L   1 mol  m’cules SO2
What mass is 6.29 x 1024 m’cules aluminum sulfate?

Al3+ SO42–  Al2(SO4)3

 1 mol   342.3 g 
X g  6.29 x 10 24 m' c  23    3580 g Al 2 (SO 4 ) 3
 6.02 x 10 m' c   1 mol 

At STP, how many g is 87.3 dm3 of nitrogen gas?

 1 mol   28.0 g 
X g N2  87.3 dm 3  3    109 g N2
 22.4 dm  1 mol 

How many m’cules is 315 g of iron (III) hydroxide?

Fe3+ OH1–  Fe(OH)3

 1 mol   6.02 x 10 23 m' cules 
X m' cules  315 g      1.78 x 10 24
 106.8 g   1 mol  m’cules
Fe(OH)3
How many atoms are in 145 L of CH3CH2OH at STP?

 1 mol   6.02 x 10 m' cules 

23
24
X m' cules  145 L     3.90 x 10 m' c
 22.4 L   1 mol 
 9 atoms 
X atoms  3.90 x 10 24 m' c  25
  3.51 x 10 atoms
 1 molecule 
Hydrates and Anhydrous Salts

anhydrous salt: an ionic compound (i.e., a salt) that

attracts water molecules and forms loose chemical
bonds with them; symbolized by MN
“anhydrous” = “without water”
Uses: “dessicants” in leather goods,
electronics, vitamins

hydrate: an anhydrous salt with the water attached

-- symbolized by MN . ? H2O
Examples: CuSO4 . 5 H2O BaCl2 . 2 H2O
Na2CO3 . 10 H2O FeCl3 . 6 H2O
H2O H2O H2O
HEAT H2O
H2O MN H2O MN H2O
H2O H2O
+ H2O H O
2 H2O

hydrate anhydrous salt water

Finding the Formula of a Hydrate
1. Find the # of g of MN and # of g of H2O.
2. Convert g to mol.
3. Divide each “# of mol” by the smallest “# of mol.”
4. Use the ratio to find the hydrate’s formula.
Find formula of hydrate for each problem.

sample’s mass before heating = 4.38 g (MN . ? H2O)

sample’s mass after heating = 1.93 g (MN)
molar mass of anhydrous salt = 85 g
 1mol MN 
1.93 g MN    0.0227 mol MN  0.0227  1
 85 g MN 
 1mol H2O 
2.45 g H2O    0.1361 mol H2O  0.0227  6
 18 g H2O 
MN . 6 H2O

A. beaker = 46.82 g A

B. beaker + sample before heating = 54.35 g B

C. beaker + sample after heating = 50.39 g C

molar mass of anhydrous salt = 129.9 g

 1mol MN 
3.57 g MN    0.0275 mol MN  0.0275  1
 129.9 g MN 
 1mol H2O 
3.96 g H2O    0.22 mol H2O  0.0275  8
 18 g H2 O 
MN . 8 H2O
A. beaker = 47.28 g A

B. beaker + sample before heating = 53.84 g B

C. beaker + sample after heating = 51.48 g C

molar mass of anhydrous salt = 128 g

 1mol MN 
4.20 g MN    0.0328 mol MN  0.0328  1
 128 g MN 
 1mol H2O 
2.36 g H2O    0.1311 mol H2O  0.0328  4
 18 g H2 O 
MN . 4 H2O

Find % water and % anhydrous salt (by mass).

4 (18 g H2O)
% H2O   36.0% H2O (and 64.0% MN)
4 (18 g )  128 g
OR…
2.36 g H2O
% H2O   36.0% H2O (and 64.0% MN)
2.36 g  4.20 g
Find % comp. of iron (III) chloride.

Fe3+ Cl1–  FeCl3

Fe: 1(55.8 g) = 55.8 g Fe  162.3 g  34.4% Fe
Cl: 3(35.5 g) = 106.5 g Cl  162.3 g  65.6% Cl
162.3 g

A compound contains 70.35 g C and 14.65 g H. Its

molar mass is 58 g. Find its molecular formula.

 1mol C 
70.35 g C    5.863 mol C  5.863  1
 12.0 g C 
 1mol H 
14.65 g H    14.65 mol H  5.863  2.5
 1.0 g H 
empirical CH2.5  C2H5
mmemp = 29 g  n = 58 g  29 g = 2  C4H10

At STP, how many g is 548 L of chlorine gas?

 1mol   71.0 g 
X g Cl2  548 L     1740 g Cl2
 22.4 L   1mol 
Strontium chloride is an anhydrous salt on which the
following data were collected. Find formula of hydrate.

beaker = 65.2 g
beaker + sample before heating = 187.9 g
beaker + sample after heating = 138.2 g

formula of salt  Sr2+ Cl1–  SrCl2

molar mass = 158.6 g

 1mol 
73.0 g SrCl2    0.460 mol SrCl2  0.460  1
 158.6 g 
 1mol H2O 
49.7 g H2O    2.761 mol H2O  0.460  6
 18 g H2O 

SrCl2 . 6 H2O