Compound amount-mass-number conversions

Amount-Mass-Number Conversions Involving Compounds Only one new step is needed to solve amount-mass-number problems involving compounds we need the chemical formula to find the molar mass and the amount of each element in the compound. The relationships are shown in Figure 3.3, and Sample Problems 3.4 and 3.5 apply them. 

Let s say that you want to find an empirical formula from the percentage composition. First, convert the mass percentage of each element to grams. Second, convert from grams to moles using the molar mass of each element as a conversion factor. (Keep in mind that a formula for a compound can be read as a number of atoms or as a number of moles.) Third, as shown in Sample Problem C, compare these amounts in moles to find the simplest whole-number ratio among the elements in the compound. 

A mole of substance is the amount that contains Avogadro s number (6.022x10 ) of chemical entities (atoms, molecules, or formula units). The mass (in grams) of a mole has the same numerical value as the mass (in amu) of the entity. Thus, the mole allows us to count entitles by weighing them. Using the molar mass (jM., g/mol) of an element (or compound) and Avogadro s number as conversion factors, we can convert among amount (mol), mass (g), and number of entities. The mass fraction of element X in a compound is used to find the mass of X in any amount of the compound. 

Using the molar mass (M, g/mol) of an element (or compound) and Avogadro s number as conversion factors, we can convert among amount (mol), mass (g), and number of entities. 

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