Upon decomposition, one sample of magnesium fluoride produces 1.65 kg of magnesium and 2.57 kg of fluorine. A second sample produces 2.72 kg of magnesium. How much fluorine (in grams) does the second sample produce?

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the law of definite proportions, which states that a chemical compound always contains exactly the same proportion of elements by mass.
2. Calculate the mass ratio of magnesium to fluorine in the first sample: \( \text{mass ratio} = \frac{1.65 \text{ kg Mg}}{2.57 \text{ kg F}} \).
3. Use the mass ratio from the first sample to find the mass of fluorine in the second sample: \( \text{mass of F} = \frac{2.72 \text{ kg Mg}}{\text{mass ratio}} \).
4. Convert the mass of fluorine from kilograms to grams by multiplying by 1000.
5. Ensure the units are consistent and check the calculations for accuracy.

Key Concepts

Stoichiometry

Stoichiometry is the branch of chemistry that deals with the quantitative relationships between the reactants and products in a chemical reaction. It allows chemists to predict the amounts of substances consumed and produced in a reaction based on balanced chemical equations. Understanding stoichiometry is essential for solving problems involving mass and moles, particularly in decomposition reactions like that of magnesium fluoride.

Law of Conservation of Mass

The Law of Conservation of Mass states that mass is neither created nor destroyed in a chemical reaction. This principle implies that the total mass of the reactants must equal the total mass of the products. In the context of the given problem, this law allows us to relate the masses of magnesium and fluorine produced from the decomposition of magnesium fluoride, ensuring that the calculations for the second sample are consistent with the first.

Molar Mass

Molar mass is the mass of one mole of a substance, typically expressed in grams per mole (g/mol). It is crucial for converting between the mass of a substance and the number of moles, which is necessary for stoichiometric calculations. In this problem, knowing the molar masses of magnesium and fluorine will help determine the amount of fluorine produced from the second sample based on the amount of magnesium obtained.