A solid sample of a hydrate salt, NaNO3xH2O, was heated gently to drive off all the water of crystallization. Starting with a mass of 7.494g of NaNO3xH2O, a mass of 5.263g of the anhydrous salt, NaNO3 was obtained. Determine the value of x (which is expected to be an integer.) Show your work!
NaNO3 has mass 84.99
H2O has mass 18.02
5.263g NaNO3 = .0619 moles
7.494-5.263 = 2.231g H2O driven off
That is .1238 moles.1238/.0619 = 2
so we started out with NaNO3•2H2O