What are the empirical formulas of each of the following substances? (b) Magnetite, a naturally occurring magnetic mineral: 72.36% Fe, 27.64% O

Verified step by step guidance

1. Convert the percentage of each element to grams, assuming you have 100 grams of the compound. This means you have 72.36 grams of Fe and 27.64 grams of O.
2. Convert the mass of each element to moles by dividing by their respective molar masses: Fe (55.85 g/mol) and O (16.00 g/mol).
3. Determine the mole ratio of the elements by dividing each element's mole value by the smallest number of moles calculated in the previous step.
4. If necessary, multiply the mole ratios by a whole number to get the smallest whole number ratio for each element.
5. Write the empirical formula using the whole number ratios as subscripts for each element.

Key Concepts

Empirical Formula

An empirical formula represents the simplest whole-number ratio of the elements in a compound. It is derived from the percentage composition of each element, allowing chemists to understand the basic composition of a substance without detailing the actual number of atoms in a molecule.

Percentage Composition

Percentage composition refers to the mass percentage of each element in a compound. It is calculated by dividing the mass of each element by the total mass of the compound and multiplying by 100. This information is crucial for determining the empirical formula from the given data.

Molar Mass

Molar mass is the mass of one mole of a substance, typically expressed in grams per mole (g/mol). It is essential for converting between the mass of an element and the number of moles, which is necessary for calculating the empirical formula based on the percentage composition of the elements.