Fluoxetine, marketed as an antidepressant under the name Prozac, can be represented by the following ball-and-stick molecular model. Write the molecular formula for fluoxetine, and calculate its molecular weight. (Red = O, gray = C, blue = N, yellow green = F, ivory = H.)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Identify the atoms in the molecular model. Count the number of each type of atom present in the model.
2. Step 2: Write the molecular formula by listing each element symbol followed by the number of atoms of that element. For example, if there are 9 carbon atoms, write C9.
3. Step 3: Use the periodic table to find the atomic weight of each element present in the molecular formula.
4. Step 4: Calculate the molecular weight by multiplying the number of each type of atom by its atomic weight and summing all these values.
5. Step 5: Sum the contributions from each element to find the total molecular weight of fluoxetine.

Key Concepts

Molecular Formula

The molecular formula of a compound indicates the types and numbers of atoms present in a molecule. It is expressed using chemical symbols, where each element is represented by its symbol followed by a subscript that denotes the number of atoms of that element. For fluoxetine, identifying the correct number of carbon (C), hydrogen (H), nitrogen (N), oxygen (O), and fluorine (F) atoms from the molecular model is essential to write its accurate molecular formula.

Molecular Weight

Molecular weight, or molar mass, is the sum of the atomic weights of all atoms in a molecule, measured in grams per mole (g/mol). To calculate the molecular weight of fluoxetine, one must multiply the number of each type of atom in the molecular formula by its respective atomic weight (found on the periodic table) and then sum these values. This calculation provides insight into the mass of one mole of the substance, which is crucial for stoichiometric calculations in chemistry.

Ball-and-Stick Model

A ball-and-stick model is a three-dimensional representation of a molecule that illustrates the arrangement of atoms and the bonds between them. In this model, balls represent atoms, while sticks represent the bonds connecting them. Understanding this model helps in visualizing the molecular structure of fluoxetine, allowing for the identification of the different atoms and their connectivity, which is vital for determining the molecular formula and calculating molecular weight.