What is the actual hydrate formula for Barium Chloride? I did a lab and got 5.4 but i was told to find the actual formula online.

Same for MgSO4.. i got 7.74 but i need to find the actualy hydrate formula aswell

I believe it's BaCl2*2H2O (the dihydrate).

For MgSO4, I believe it's MgSO4*7H2O, (epsom salt) but various other hydrates are known.

To find the actual hydrate formula for a compound like Barium Chloride (BaCl2) or Magnesium Sulfate (MgSO4), you need to know the molar mass of the compound and the mass of the water that is lost during the dehydration process. Here's a step-by-step approach to find the hydrate formula:

1. Determine the molar mass of the anhydrous compound (without water). For example, Barium Chloride has a molar mass of 208.23 g/mol, and Magnesium Sulfate has a molar mass of 120.37 g/mol.

2. Find the mass of water lost during the dehydration process. In your case, for Barium Chloride, if you obtained 5.4 grams of water, it means you lost that amount of water during the lab. Similarly, for Magnesium Sulfate, if you obtained 7.74 grams of water, you lost that amount during the lab.

3. Calculate the moles of water lost by dividing the mass of water by its molar mass. For example, for Barium Chloride, 5.4 g ÷ 18.015 g/mol (molar mass of water) = 0.3 mol of water. For Magnesium Sulfate, 7.74 g ÷ 18.015 g/mol = 0.43 mol of water.

4. Divide the moles of the anhydrous compound by the moles of water lost. For Barium Chloride, if you had 1 mole of Barium Chloride and lost 0.3 moles of water, you would write the hydrate formula as BaCl2·0.3H2O. For Magnesium Sulfate, if you had 1 mole of Magnesium Sulfate and lost 0.43 moles of water, you would write the hydrate formula as MgSO4·0.43H2O.

Note: It's important to mention that the actual hydrate formula may not always match the ratio of moles obtained exactly due to experimental errors. However, this method provides a good estimate of the hydrate formula.

If you are looking for the "official" or "actual" hydrate formula, you can also consult reliable sources such as chemical databases or scientific literature. These sources provide accurate and precise information about the composition and structure of hydrates.