1.Empirical formula P 2 O 5 , Experimentation shows that the molar mass of this compound 283.89g / (mol) . What is the compaund's molecular formula?
To find the compound's molecular formula, we need to determine the ratio of the empirical formula to the actual molecular formula.
The empirical formula represents the simplest whole number ratio of the elements present in the compound. In this case, the empirical formula is P2O5, which means there are two phosphorus atoms and five oxygen atoms in each unit of the compound.
To determine the molecular formula, we need to know the molar mass of the compound and compare it to the empirical formula's molar mass.
The molar mass of the empirical formula P2O5 can be calculated as follows:
(2 * molar mass of P) + (5 * molar mass of O) = (2 * 31.0 g/mol) + (5 * 16.0 g/mol) = 62.0 g/mol + 80.0 g/mol = 142.0 g/mol
Comparing this to the given molar mass of the compound, which is 283.89 g/mol, we can calculate the ratio:
283.89 g/mol / 142.0 g/mol = 1.999
Since we are looking for a whole number ratio, we need to round this ratio to the nearest whole number. In this case, the ratio is approximately 2.
Therefore, the compound's molecular formula is twice the empirical formula, giving us a molecular formula of P4O10.