Lesson 3 - STOICHIOMETRY

2
Percent Composition, Chemical Formulas, Chemical
Reactions, and Chemical Equations

1. calculate the empirical formula from the percent composition of a compound

STEM_GC11PC-If-32
2. calculate molecular formula given molar mass STEM_GC11PC-If-33
3. write equations for chemical reactions and balance the equations STEM_GC11CR-If-g-34

Hi there! Have you ever seen products with percentage value or even expressed in milligrams or
grams? Did you wonder how they get 70% Solution of ethyl alcohol? Or 500 mg paracetamol? This
lesson entails to let you learn on how do they get such values. You will also learn how to write chemical
formulas and balance chemical reactions. Are you ready? Let’s begin learning! How did you get the
total number of learners who would like to purse courses in college related to STEM?

PERCENT COMPOSITION
• The percent composition by mass is the percent by mass of each element in a compound.
Mathematically,

with n = the number of atoms of the element

 For CO2,

The answer indicates that CO2 is composed of 27.29% C atom and 72.71% O atom.

Calculate the percent composition of NaCl.

39.34% Na, 60.66% Cl.
The chemical formula of glucose is C6H12O6. Determine its percent composition.
39.99% C, 6.727% H, 53.28% O

EMPIRICAL FORMULA FROM PERCENT COMPOSITION

The empirical formula of a compound can be calculated from the percent composition. Because
percentage is given, it is convenient to assume 100.00 grams of the compound.
EXAMPLE
1. A compound is found to consist of 7.81% C and 92.19% Cl. What is the empirical formula of the
compound?
Assume 100.00 grams of the compound. The sample will therefore contain 7.81g Carbon (C) and
92.19g Chlorine (Cl).
The grams are converted to moles to get the ratios of the moles of the elements in the compound:

The compound is C - 0.650 ; Cl - 2.601

The compound is C0.650Cl2.601. But chemical formulas are expressed in whole numbers.
Empirical formulas are expressed as the lowest whole number ratio between the atoms.
To convert to whole numbers, divide the number of moles by the smallest value (that is 0.650).

The empirical formula is C1Cl4 or CCl4.

2. A compound is found to consist of 43.64% P and 56.36% O. The molar mass for the compound
is 283.88 g/mol. What is the empirical formula and molecular formula of the compound?
Assume 100.00 grams of the compound. What is the mass of each element in 100.00 grams of
compound?
What are the moles of each element in 100.00 grams of compound?

Divide the mole values by the smallest value to get

The compound is PO2.5.

The compound is PO2.5. But the subscripts are still not whole numbers.
Multiply the subscripts by a factor to get the smallest whole number. When multiplied by 2, the
empirical formula is P2O5.
2.a. What is the molecular formula?
Compare the mass of the empirical formula to the molar mass:
Mass of P2O5 = 141.94 g/mol
Molar mass = 283.88 g/mol

Therefore, the molecular formula is (P2O5)2 or P4O10.

A sample of an unknown compound contains 0.28 mol of zinc, 0.16 mol of phosphorus, and
0.72 mol of oxygen. What is the empirical formula of the unknown compound?
Therefore, the empirical formula of the unknown compound is Zn7P4O18.
Naphthalene is a common insecticide and deodorizer. It has an empirical formula of C 5H4.
Provide its molecular formula given that its molecular mass is 128 g/mol.
The molecular formula of naphthalene is C10H8.

WRITING AND BALANCING CHEMICAL EQUATIONS

1. Writing Chemical Equations
Chemical Equations
• Describes identities and quantities of substances undergoing a chemical (or physical) change
reactants (the starting compounds) - the left side
products (the final compounds) - the right side
A + B → C
Reactants Product

Notations used in Chemical Reactions

● arrow (→) - separates reactants from products; usually read as ‘yields’.
● plus sign (+) - separates individual substances in each side
● double arrow (⇌) - denotes a reaction in equilibrium
● state of compound or molecules - (s) solid, (l) liquid, (g) gas, and (aq) aqueous
Example
● Two hydrogen gas plus oxygen gas yields two water vapor molecules

● IUPAC nomenclature is used for complex compounds

Coefficients vs. Subscripts
● Subscript - part of the chemical formula of reactants and
products
● Coefficients - placed in front of formulas to indicate number
of molecules of the substance

TIPS:
We can only change the coefficient of a compound. Changing the subscript will change the number of atoms
of the compound, therefore changing the overall chemical composition and chemical property of the
compound.

BALANCING CHEMICAL EQUATIONS

1. Inspect the chemical reaction and identify the most complex substance.
The most complex substance is Na2O.
2. Starting with that substance, choose an element that appears only once in the reactant
and only once in the product side. Adjust the coefficients of the compounds to obtain the
same number of atoms of this element(s) on both sides.

3. In the case of polyatomic ions (if it appears on the sides of the chemical equation),
balance the polyatomic ions as a unit.
There are no polyatomic ions in this equation.
4. Balance the remaining atoms in the equations.
Remaining atom is O. Use fractional coefficients first if needed.

(multiply by denominator to get whole number coefficients)

5. Check and count the number of atoms of each kind on both sides of the equation to be sure
that the chemical equation is balanced.

The equation is now balanced.

 Balance the chemical reaction.

1.

2.
3. Lithium solid reacts with oxygen to form solid lithium oxide. Write a balanced
chemical equation for this reaction.
Answers:

Types and Evidences that a Chemical Reaction has Occurred

Here are some evidences that a chemical reaction has occurred:
a. Change in color
b. Formation of a solid (a precipitate)
c. Evolution of gas (bubble formation)
d. Change in temperature (heat is released or absorbed)

Most chemical reactions can be classified into five types:

1. Decomposition reaction – a reactant breaks down into two or more products
AB → A + B
Li2CO3 → Li2O + CO2
2. Synthesis reaction – two or more reactants form a single product
A + B → AB
2NO + O2 → 2NO2
3. Single displacement reaction – one element replaces another in a compound
A + BC → AC + B
Cu(s) + 2AgNO3(aq) → Cu(NO3)2(aq) + 2Ag(s)
4. Double displacement – two ionic compounds exchange ions
AB + CD → AD + CB
2KI(aq) + Pb(NO3)2(aq) → 2KNO3(aq) + PbI2(s)
5. Combustion reaction – a hydrocarbon (a compound containing carbon and hydrogen) reacts
with oxygen to form carbon dioxide and water.
Hydrocarbon + O2 → CO2 + H2O
2C2H6 + 7O2 → 4CO2 + 6H2O