Find the percentage composition of calcium in the following compound, round to the nearest hundredth of a percent. calcium phosphate, Ca3(PO4)2
To find the percentage composition of calcium in calcium phosphate, we first need to calculate the molar mass of Ca3(PO4)2.
Ca: 1 calcium atom weighs 40.08 g/mol
P: 1 phosphorus atom weighs 30.97 g/mol
O: 4 oxygen atoms weigh 16.00 g/mol each
Molar mass of Ca3(PO4)2 = 3(40.08) + 2(30.97) + 8(16.00)
= 120.24 + 61.94 + 128.00
= 310.18 g/mol
The percentage composition of calcium in calcium phosphate can be calculated as follows:
(3 * molar mass of calcium) / molar mass of Ca3(PO4)2 * 100%
= (3 * 40.08) / 310.18 * 100%
= 120.24 / 310.18 * 100%
= 38.76%
Therefore, the percentage composition of calcium in calcium phosphate, Ca3(PO4)2, is approximately 38.76%.