How do I figure the number of atoms in the formula 2(NH4)3PO4?
If you want to know how many atoms are there you must know how much of the compound you have. However, if you are interested in the number of atoms in one molecule:
you have 6N
24H
2P
8 O for a total of 40? Right?
Thanks! That is what I thought, but needed a second.
To determine the number of atoms in a chemical formula, you need to multiply the subscript of each element by the number of that element in the formula, and then add them all up:
In 2(NH4)3PO4, let's break it down:
1. Start with the ammonium ion (NH4+):
- There are 2 of these ions, so you multiply the subscript 4 by 2 to get 8 atoms of hydrogen (H) and 2 atoms of nitrogen (N).
2. Next, the phosphate ion (PO4^3-):
- There is 1 of this ion, so you multiply the subscript 1 by 3 to get 3 atoms of oxygen (O) and 1 atom of phosphorus (P).
3. Finally, sum up the counts for each element:
- Hydrogen (H): 8 atoms × 2 = 16 atoms
- Nitrogen (N): 2 atoms × 2 = 4 atoms
- Oxygen (O): 3 atoms × 1 = 3 atoms
- Phosphorus (P): 1 atom × 1 = 1 atom
Therefore, the total number of atoms in the formula 2(NH4)3PO4 is 16 + 4 + 3 + 1 = 24 atoms.
To determine the number of atoms in a chemical formula, you need to consider the subscripts and coefficients of the elements. Here's how you can figure out the number of atoms in the formula 2(NH4)3PO4:
1. Start by identifying the elements present in the formula:
- N (nitrogen)
- H (hydrogen)
- P (phosphorus)
- O (oxygen)
2. Determine the number of atoms for each element by using the subscripts and coefficients:
- For NH4, you have 2 outside the parentheses, so you multiply the subscripts of each element inside the parentheses (N and H) by 2:
- There are 2 * 3 = 6 N atoms
- There are 2 * 12 = 24 H atoms
- For PO4, there is no coefficient outside the parentheses, so you take the subscripts as they are:
- There is 1 P atom
- There are 4 O atoms
3. Add up the number of atoms for each element:
- N: 6 atoms
- H: 24 atoms
- P: 1 atom
- O: 4 atoms
Therefore, the formula 2(NH4)3PO4 contains a total of 6 nitrogen atoms, 24 hydrogen atoms, 1 phosphorus atom, and 4 oxygen atoms.