Find the percentage composition of sodium phosphate
To find the percentage composition of sodium phosphate (Na3PO4), we need to know the molar mass of each element in the compound.
1. Sodium (Na)
- Atomic mass of Na = 22.99 g/mol
- There are 3 sodium atoms in Na3PO4, so the total mass of sodium in 1 mol of Na3PO4 is 3 * 22.99 g = 68.97 g
2. Phosphorus (P)
- Atomic mass of P = 30.97 g/mol
- There is 1 phosphorus atom in Na3PO4, so the total mass of phosphorus in 1 mol of Na3PO4 is 30.97 g
3. Oxygen (O)
- Atomic mass of O = 16.00 g/mol
- There are 4 oxygen atoms in Na3PO4 (3 from the phosphate ion and 1 from the sodium ion), so the total mass of oxygen in 1 mol of Na3PO4 is 4 * 16.00 g = 64.00 g
Now, we can calculate the total molar mass of Na3PO4:
Molar mass of Na3PO4 = 68.97 g (sodium) + 30.97 g (phosphorus) + 64.00 g (oxygen) = 163.94 g/mol
To find the percentage composition of each element in sodium phosphate, we divide the molar mass contribution of each element by the total molar mass and multiply by 100:
Percentage composition of sodium (Na) = (68.97 g / 163.94 g) * 100% ≈ 42.10%
Percentage composition of phosphorus (P) = (30.97 g / 163.94 g) * 100% ≈ 18.89%
Percentage composition of oxygen (O) = (64.00 g / 163.94 g) * 100% ≈ 38.99%
Therefore, the percentage composition of sodium phosphate (Na3PO4) is approximately:
- 42.10% sodium
- 18.89% phosphorus
- 38.99% oxygen