Another question. How do I find out how many molecules of water of hydration are in each formula unit of a compound? I want to solve the actual problem myself, but would like some headway.
You look at the formula.
CuSO4*5H2O has 5 mols of H2O per mols CuSO4. Mols can be changed to molecules if you want the acutal number of molecules of water.
So just take 5 mols of water and convert to molecules?
To determine the number of water molecules (water of hydration) present in each formula unit of a compound, you need to know the chemical formula of the compound. Specifically, you need to identify any water molecules that are part of the compound's structure.
Here are the steps to solve such a problem:
1. Determine the chemical formula of the compound: If you already have the compound's name, you can use references or chemical databases to find its formula. For example, if the compound is copper sulfate pentahydrate, its formula is CuSO4·5H2O.
2. Identify the water molecules: Look for "H2O" in the compound's formula. Each "H2O" unit represents one water molecule.
3. Determine the ratio: Compare the number of water molecules to the total number of formula units of the compound. The ratio will give you the number of water molecules per formula unit. For example, if there are 5 water molecules (H2O) and 1 formula unit of the compound, the ratio is 5:1.
It's important to note that sometimes the ratio between the compound and water molecules is not a whole number. In such cases, you may need to multiply the entire formula by a factor to obtain a whole number ratio. This is often the case with ionic compounds that form hydrates.
Remember, understanding the compound's structure and naming conventions play a crucial role in identifying the presence of water of hydration.