CALCULATING PERCENT COMPOSITION

Percent Composition – proportions of the constituent elements in a compound

expresses as the number of grams of each element per 100 grams of the compound.

Method for Calculating Percent Composition

1. interpret the subscripts in terms of moles
2. convert moles to mass
3. calculate the molar mass of the compound
4. calculate the percent composition of each element

Formula:
Where:
n = number of moles
M = molar mass

Problems:

1. Calculate the % composition of sodium chloride, NaCl

2. Determine the percent composition of sodium sulfate, Na₂SO₄
3. A sample of a liquid with a mass of 8.657 grams was decomposed into its
elements and gave 5.217 grams of carbon, 0.9620 grams of hydrogen, and 2.478
grams of oxygen. What is the percentage composition of this compound?

PERCENT COMPOSITION OF HYDRATES

1. Find the percent of water in cobalt (II) hexahydrate, CoCl₂•6H₂O.
Solution:

2. When a 1.00 g sample of copper (II) sulfate pentahydrate, CuSO4• 5 H2O was
heated so that the waters of hydration were driven off, the mass of the anhydrous
salt remaining was found to be 0.6390 g. What is the experimental value of the
percent water of hydration?
EMPIRICAL AND MOLECULAR FORMULA

Empirical Formula - formula containing the smallest whole number ratio

of the atoms present in a molecule.

Molecular Formula - the formula that contains the actual number of

atoms of each element present in one molecule of the compound.

PERCENT COMPOSITION AND EMPIRICAL FORMULA

• Empirical and molecular formulas can be determined from mass percent
composition data and combustion analysis data.
• To begin, assume for simplicity that you have 100 g of compound.

PROCEDURE: Percent to mass

Mass to mole
Divide by small
Multiply 'til whole

PROBLEMS:

1. Determine the empirical formula of a compound that has the following percent
composition by mass:

2. What is the empirical formula of Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), which is 40.91% C,
4.57% H, and 54.52% O?
What is the molecular formula of ascorbic acid if its molar mass is 176.12 g/mol?

3. Analysis of a certain compound showed that 39.348 grams of it contained 0.883

grams of hydrogen, 10.497 grams of Carbon, and 27.968 grams of Oxygen. The
molecular mass of the given compound is 90 g/mol, calculate the empirical and
molecular formula of the compound.