A sulfide of iron was formed by combining 1.926g of sulfur(S) with 2.233g of iron (Fe). What is the compound's empirical formula?
To find the empirical formula, we need to determine the relative number of atoms of each element in the compound.
First, we need to convert the masses of sulfur and iron to moles using their molar masses:
Molar mass of S = 32.07 g/mol
Molar mass of Fe = 55.85 g/mol
Number of moles of S = mass of S / molar mass of S = 1.926g / 32.07 g/mol = 0.06 mol
Number of moles of Fe = mass of Fe / molar mass of Fe = 2.233g / 55.85 g/mol = 0.04 mol
Next, we need to determine the ratio of the number of moles of each element to the smallest number of moles:
Ratio of S to Fe = 0.06 mol / 0.04 mol = 1.5
Finally, we need to convert this ratio to the simplest whole-number ratio by dividing by the greatest common divisor (GCD):
GCD(1.5) = 1.5
Divide by 1.5:
1.5 / 1.5 = 1
Therefore, the empirical formula of the compound is FeS.