What is the molar mass of acetic acid (CH3COOH)?

• A. 18.02 g/mol
• B. 44.01 g/mol
• C. 74.08 g/mol
• D. 60.05 g/mol

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the molecular formula of acetic acid, which is CH\3COOH. This means the molecule contains 2 carbon (C) atoms, 4 hydrogen (H) atoms, and 2 oxygen (O) atoms.
2. Find the atomic masses of each element from the periodic table: Carbon (C) is approximately 12.01 g/mol, Hydrogen (H) is approximately 1.008 g/mol, and Oxygen (O) is approximately 16.00 g/mol.
3. Calculate the total mass contributed by each element by multiplying the number of atoms by their atomic masses: For carbon, multiply 2 by 12.01 g/mol; for hydrogen, multiply 4 by 1.008 g/mol; for oxygen, multiply 2 by 16.00 g/mol.
4. Add all these contributions together to find the molar mass of acetic acid: \(\text{Molar mass} = (2 \times 12.01) + (4 \times 1.008) + (2 \times 16.00)\) g/mol.
5. Sum the values from the previous step to get the total molar mass of acetic acid, which will be approximately 60.05 g/mol.