Textbook Question
Ferrocene, a substance proposed for use as a gasoline additive, has the percent composition 5.42% H, 64.56% C, and 30.02% Fe. What is the empirical formula of ferrocene?
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Ch.3 - Mass Relationships in Chemical Reactions
McMurry8th EditionChemistryISBN: 9781292336145
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Table of contents
- Ch.1 - Chemical Tools: Experimentation & Measurement170
- Ch.2 - Atoms, Molecules & Ions160
- Ch.3 - Mass Relationships in Chemical Reactions169
- Ch.4 - Reactions in Aqueous Solution199
- Ch.5 - Periodicity & Electronic Structure of Atoms102
- Ch.6 - Ionic Compounds: Periodic Trends and Bonding Theory92
- Ch.7 - Covalent Bonding and Electron-Dot Structures61
- Ch.8 - Covalent Compounds: Bonding Theories and Molecular Structure59
- Ch.9 - Thermochemistry: Chemical Energy122
- Ch.10 - Gases: Their Properties & Behavior155
- Ch.11 - Liquids & Phase Changes54
- Ch.12 - Solids and Solid-State Materials73
- Ch.13 - Solutions & Their Properties120
- Ch.14 - Chemical Kinetics98
- Ch.15 - Chemical Equilibrium125
- Ch.16 - Aqueous Equilibria: Acids & Bases110
- Ch.17 - Applications of Aqueous Equilibria147
- Ch.18 - Thermodynamics: Entropy, Free Energy & Equilibrium86
- Ch.19 - Electrochemistry154
- Ch.20 - Nuclear Chemistry96
- Ch.21 - Transition Elements and Coordination Chemistry156
- Ch.22 - The Main Group Elements187
- Ch.23 - Organic and Biological Chemistry51
Chapter 3, Problem 91b
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 guidance1
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.
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).
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.
If necessary, multiply the mole ratios by a whole number to get the smallest whole number ratio for each element.
Write the empirical formula using the whole number ratios as subscripts for each element.
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
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.
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Empirical vs Molecular Formula
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.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question
What is the empirical formula of stannous fluoride, the first fluoride compound added to toothpaste to protect teeth against decay? Its mass percent composition is 24.25% F, 75.75% Sn.
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Textbook Question
What are the empirical formulas of each of the following substances? (a) Ibuprofen, a headache remedy: 75.69% C, 15.51% O, 8.80% H
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Textbook Question
What are the empirical formulas of each of the following substances? (c) Zircon, a mineral from which cubic zirconia is made: 34.91% O, 15.32% Si, 49.77% Zr
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Textbook Question
An unknown liquid is composed of 5.57% H, 28.01% Cl, and 66.42% C. The molecular weight found by mass spectrometry is 126.58. What is the molecular formula of the compound?
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Textbook Question
An unknown liquid is composed of 34.31% C, 5.28% H, and 60.41% I. The molecular weight found by mass spectrometry is 210.06. What is the molecular formula of the compound?
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