What Is The Empirical Formula Of A Compound That Contains 27.0 % S , 13.4 % O 27.0\% \, S, 13.4\% \, O 27.0% S , 13.4% O , And 59.6 % C L 59.6\% \, Cl 59.6% Cl By Mass?A. S O C L SOCl SOCl B. S 2 O C L S_2OCl S 2 OCl C. C L S O 4 ClSO_4 ClS O 4 D. S O C L 2 SOCl_2 SOC L 2 E. S O 2 C L SO_2Cl S O 2 Cl
Introduction
Determining the empirical formula of a compound is a crucial step in understanding its chemical composition. In this article, we will explore how to calculate the empirical formula of a compound that contains sulfur, oxygen, and chlorine. We will use the given mass percentages of these elements to determine the simplest whole-number ratio of atoms in the compound.
Calculating the Mass of Each Element
To calculate the empirical formula, we need to start by assuming a 100-gram sample of the compound. This will make it easier to calculate the number of moles of each element present in the compound.
- Sulfur (S): 27.0% of 100 g = 27.0 g
- Oxygen (O): 13.4% of 100 g = 13.4 g
- Chlorine (Cl): 59.6% of 100 g = 59.6 g
Converting Mass to Moles
Next, we need to convert the mass of each element to moles. We can do this by dividing the mass of each element by its atomic mass.
- Sulfur (S): 27.0 g / 32.07 g/mol = 0.843 mol
- Oxygen (O): 13.4 g / 16.00 g/mol = 0.836 mol
- Chlorine (Cl): 59.6 g / 35.45 g/mol = 1.683 mol
Determining the Simplest Whole-Number Ratio
Now that we have the number of moles of each element, we can determine the simplest whole-number ratio of atoms in the compound. We can do this by dividing each number of moles by the smallest number of moles.
- Sulfur (S): 0.843 mol / 0.836 mol = 1.007
- Oxygen (O): 0.836 mol / 0.836 mol = 1
- Chlorine (Cl): 1.683 mol / 0.836 mol = 2.021
Rounding to the Nearest Whole Number
Since we are looking for the simplest whole-number ratio, we can round each number to the nearest whole number.
- Sulfur (S): 1
- Oxygen (O): 1
- Chlorine (Cl): 2
Writing the Empirical Formula
Now that we have the simplest whole-number ratio of atoms in the compound, we can write the empirical formula.
The empirical formula of the compound is SOCl2.
Conclusion
In this article, we calculated the empirical formula of a compound containing sulfur, oxygen, and chlorine. We started by assuming a 100-gram sample of the compound and calculated the mass of each element. We then converted the mass of each element to moles and determined the simplest whole-number ratio of atoms in the compound. Finally, we wrote the empirical formula of the compound.
Comparison of Options
Let's compare our calculated empirical formula with the given options.
- A. SOCl: This option is missing a chlorine atom, so it is not correct.
- B. S2OCl: This option has a different ratio of sulfur and oxygen atoms, so it is not correct.
- C. ClSO4: This option has a different ratio of chlorine and oxygen atoms, so it is not correct.
- D. SOCl2: This option matches our calculated empirical formula, so it is correct.
- E. SO2Cl: This option has a different ratio of sulfur and oxygen atoms, so it is not correct.
The final answer is D. SOCl2.
Introduction
In our previous article, we calculated the empirical formula of a compound containing sulfur, oxygen, and chlorine. In this article, we will answer some frequently asked questions related to the empirical formula of this compound.
Q: What is the empirical formula of a compound containing 27.0% S, 13.4% O, and 59.6% Cl by mass?
A: The empirical formula of the compound is SOCl2.
Q: How do you calculate the empirical formula of a compound?
A: To calculate the empirical formula of a compound, you need to follow these steps:
- Assume a 100-gram sample of the compound.
- Calculate the mass of each element in the compound.
- Convert the mass of each element to moles.
- Determine the simplest whole-number ratio of atoms in the compound.
- Write the empirical formula of the compound.
Q: What is the difference between the empirical formula and the molecular formula of a compound?
A: The empirical formula of a compound is the simplest whole-number ratio of atoms in the compound, while the molecular formula of a compound is the actual number of atoms of each element in a molecule of the compound.
Q: How do you determine the molecular formula of a compound?
A: To determine the molecular formula of a compound, you need to know the molar mass of the compound and the empirical formula of the compound. You can then use the following formula to calculate the molecular formula:
Molecular formula = (Empirical formula) x (Molar mass / (Empirical formula mass))
Q: What is the empirical formula mass of a compound?
A: The empirical formula mass of a compound is the sum of the atomic masses of the atoms in the empirical formula.
Q: How do you calculate the empirical formula mass of a compound?
A: To calculate the empirical formula mass of a compound, you need to add the atomic masses of the atoms in the empirical formula.
For example, the empirical formula of the compound is SOCl2. The atomic masses of the atoms in the empirical formula are:
- S: 32.07 g/mol
- O: 16.00 g/mol
- Cl: 35.45 g/mol
The empirical formula mass of the compound is:
Empirical formula mass = (32.07 g/mol) + (16.00 g/mol) + (2 x 35.45 g/mol) = 32.07 g/mol + 16.00 g/mol + 70.90 g/mol = 119.00 g/mol
Q: What is the molar mass of a compound?
A: The molar mass of a compound is the mass of one mole of the compound.
Q: How do you calculate the molar mass of a compound?
A: To calculate the molar mass of a compound, you need to know the molecular formula of the compound and the atomic masses of the atoms in the molecular formula. You can then use the following formula to calculate the molar mass:
Molar mass = (Atomic mass of S) x (Number of S atoms) + (Atomic mass of O) x (Number of O atoms) + (Atomic mass of Cl) x (Number of Cl atoms)
For example, the molecular formula of the compound is SOCl2. The atomic masses of the atoms in the molecular formula are:
- S: 32.07 g/mol
- O: 16.00 g/mol
- Cl: 35.45 g/mol
The molar mass of the compound is:
Molar mass = (32.07 g/mol) x 1 + (16.00 g/mol) x 1 + (35.45 g/mol) x 2 = 32.07 g/mol + 16.00 g/mol + 70.90 g/mol = 119.00 g/mol
Q: How do you determine the molecular formula of a compound from its empirical formula and molar mass?
A: To determine the molecular formula of a compound from its empirical formula and molar mass, you can use the following formula:
Molecular formula = (Empirical formula) x (Molar mass / (Empirical formula mass))
For example, the empirical formula of the compound is SOCl2 and the molar mass of the compound is 119.00 g/mol. The empirical formula mass of the compound is 119.00 g/mol.
The molecular formula of the compound is:
Molecular formula = (SOCl2) x (119.00 g/mol / 119.00 g/mol) = SOCl2
The final answer is SOCl2.