What is the mass percent of silicon in silicon carbide (SiC)?

• A. 50.0%
• B. 70.1%
• C. 42.3%
• D. 58.7%

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the chemical formula of silicon carbide, which is SiC, meaning it contains one atom of silicon (Si) and one atom of carbon (C).
2. Find the atomic masses of silicon and carbon from the periodic table: silicon (Si) has an atomic mass of approximately 28.09 g/mol, and carbon (C) has an atomic mass of approximately 12.01 g/mol.
3. Calculate the molar mass of silicon carbide by adding the atomic masses of silicon and carbon: \(\text{Molar mass of SiC} = 28.09 + 12.01\) g/mol.
4. Determine the mass percent of silicon in silicon carbide using the formula: \(\text{Mass \% of Si} = \left( \frac{\text{Atomic mass of Si}}{\text{Molar mass of SiC}} \right) \times 100\%\).
5. Substitute the values into the formula and simplify the expression to find the mass percent of silicon in SiC.