1.21.

Formulae, equations and amounts of substance

The mole is the key concept for chemical calculations

DEFINITION: The mole is the amount of substance in grams that has the
same number of particles as there are atoms in 12 grams of carbon-12.

DEFINITION: Relative atomic mass is the average mass of one atom

compared to one twelfth of the mass of one atom of carbon-12

Molar Mass for a compound can be calculated by adding

DEFINITION: Molar Mass is the mass in grams of 1 up the mass numbers(from the periodic table) of each
mole of a substance and is given the unit of g mol-1 element in the compound
eg CaCO3 = 40.1 + 12.0 +16.0 x3 = 100.1

Calculating amount in moles

Example 1: What is the amount, in mol, in 35g
amount = mass of CuSO4?
MolarMass amount = mass/Mr
= 35/ (63.5 + 32 +16 x4)
Unit of Mass: grams
Unit of amount : mol = 0.219 mol

1.1) Calculate the amount in mol in 25.0g of ZnCO3?

1.2) Calculate the amount in mol in 30.0g of O2?
1.3) Calculate the amount in mol in 40.0g of H2SO4?
1.4)What is the mass of 0.500 mol of CaF2?
1.5) What is the mass of 0.250 mol of Li2CO3?
1.6) What is the mass of 3.00 mol of KHSO4?
1.7) 0.500 mol of an element weigh 12.15g. What is the relative atomic mass of the
element and what is the element?

Avogadro's Constant

The mole is the amount of substance in Avogadro's Constant

grams that has the same number of There are 6.02 x 1023 atoms in 12 grams of carbon-12. Therefore
particles as there are atoms in 12 grams explained in simpler terms 'One mole of any specified entity
of carbon-12. contains 6.02 x 1023 of that entity':

Avogadro's Constant can be 1 mole of copper atoms will contain 6.02 x 1023 atoms
used for atoms, molecules and 1 mole of carbon dioxide molecules will contain 6.02 x 1023 molecules
ions 1 mole of sodium ions will contain 6.02 x 1023 ions

No of particles = amount of substance (in mol) X Avogadro's constant

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 Example 2: How many atoms of Tin are Example 3: How many chloride ions are there in a 25.0
there in a 6.00 g sample of Tin metal? cm3 of a solution of magnesium chloride of concentration
amount = mass/Ar 0.400 moldm-3 ?
= 6/ 118.7 amount= concentration x Volume
= 0.05055 mol MgCl2 = 0.400 x 0.025

Number atoms = amount x 6.02 x 1023 = 0.0100 mol

There are two moles of
= 0.05055 x 6.02 x 1023 Amount of chloride ions = 0.0100 x2 chloride ions for every
= 3.04 x1022 = 0.0200 one mole of MgCl2
Number ions of Cl- = amount x 6.02 x 1023
= 0.0200 x 6.02 x 1023
= 1.204 x1022

Calculations using the Avogadro constant

In the following questions use this value of the Avogadro constant = 6.0225 x 1023

2.1) How many grams are there in 8.20 x 1024 molecules of H2SO4?

2.2) How many moles are present in 2.45 x 1023 molecules of C2H4?

2.3) How many calcium ions are there in 261 grams of Ca(NO3)2?

2.4) How many grams are there in 2.40 x 1024 molecules of NH3?

2.5) How many grams are there in 6.90 x 1025 molecules of H2?

2.6) How many molecules are there in 0.180 kg of CO2?

2.7) The mass of one proton is 1.6725 x 10-24 g. Calculate the mass of one mole of 1H+ ions using the
Avogadro constant

2.8) The mass of one atom of 12C is 1.99 x 10–23g. Use this information to calculate a value for the Avogadro
constant.

2.9) The mass of one mole of 1H atoms is 1.0078g and that of one 1H atom is 1.6734 x 10–24g.
Use these data to calculate a value for the Avogadro constant accurate to five significant figures.

2.10) How does the number of atoms in one mole of helium compare with the number of molecules in one mole
of ammonia?

2.11) Calculate the number of moles, and hence the number of molecules, of NH3 in 0.654 g of ammonia gas.

2.12) Calculate the mass, in grams, of a single atom of sodium (23.0).

2.13) Calculate the number of atoms in 1 mol of carbon dioxide

2.14) How many sulphur atoms are there in 0.0350 mol of sulphur S8 molecules?

2.15) Calculate the number of oxygen molecules that react with 2.61 g of sodium.

2.16) 26.2 g of aluminium sulfate, Al2(SO4)3, was dissolved in water. Calculate the number of sulfate ions,
SO42–, present in the solution formed.
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Empirical Formula

Definition: An empirical formula is the simplest ratio of atoms of each element in the compound.

General method
The same method can be
Step 1 : Divide each mass (or % mass) by the atomic mass of the element used for the following types
Step 2 : For each of the answers from step 1 divide by the smallest one of of data:
those numbers. 1. masses of each element
in the compound
Step 3: sometimes the numbers calculated in step 2 will need to be multiplied
up to give whole numbers. 2. percentage mass of each
element in the compound
These whole numbers will be the empirical formula.

Example 4 : Calculate the empirical formula for a compound that contains

1.82g of K, 5.93g of I and 2.24g of O
Step1: Divide each mass by the atomic mass of the element
K = 1.82 / 39.1 I = 5.93/126.9 O = 2.24/16
= 0.0465 mol = 0.0467mol = 0.14 mol
Step 2 For each of the answers from step 1 divide by the smallest one of those numbers.
K = 0.0465/0.0465 I = 0.0467/0.0465 O = 0.14 / 0.0465
=1 =1 =3
Empirical formula =KIO3

Molecular formula from empirical formula

Definition: A molecular formula is the actual number of atoms of each element in the compound.

From the relative molecular mass (Mr) work out how many times
the mass of the empirical formula fits into the Mr.

Example 5: work out the molecular formula for the

compound with an empirical formula of C3H6O and The Mr does not need to be exact to turn an
a Mr of 116 empirical formula into the molecular formula
because the molecular formula will be a
C3H6O has a mass of 58 whole number multiple of the empirical
formula
The empirical formula fits twice into Mr of 116

So molecular formula is C6H12O2

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 Empirical and Molecular formulae questions

3.1) A compound of calcium contains by mass 23.29% of calcium, 18.64% of sulphur and 2.32% of
hydrogen, the remainder being oxygen. Determine the empirical formula of this compound.

3.2) Compound A, which contains carbon, hydrogen and oxygen only, has 38.7% carbon and
9.68% hydrogen by mass, the remainder being oxygen. Calculate the empirical formula of A.

3.3) A chromium compound contains 28.4% of sodium and 32.1% of chromium by mass, the
remainder being oxygen. Calculate the empirical formula of this compound.

3.4) A compound B contains 36.5% of sodium and 25.5% of sulphur by mass, the rest being oxygen.
Calculate the empirical formula of this compound B

3.5) A salt, C, contains 16.2% by mass of magnesium, 18.9% by mass of nitrogen and 64.9% by
mass of oxygen. Calculate the empirical formula of this compound C

3.6) Compound D contains 45.9 % of potassium and 16.5 % of nitrogen by mass, the remainder
being oxygen. Calculate the empirical formula of this compound D

3.7) Compound E contains 21.6 % by mass of sodium, 33.3 % by mass of chlorine and 45.1 % by
mass of oxygen. Calculate the empirical formula of this compound E

3.8) Analysis of a compound F showed that it contained 49.31% of carbon, 6.85% of hydrogen and
43.84% of oxygen by mass. The Mr of F is 146.0. Calculate the empirical formula of F and hence
deduce its molecular formula.

3.9) Compound G contains 15.38% of carbon, 7.69% of hydrogen, 35.90% of nitrogen and 41.03% of
oxygen by mass. Calculate the empirical formula of this compound G

3.10) Ethyne can be used to make compound H (Mr = 215.8) which contains 22.24% carbon, 3.71%
hydrogen and 74.05% bromine, by mass. Calculate the empirical formula of H and hence deduce its
molecular formula.

3.11) Concentrated nitric acid reacts with magnesium to form an oxide of nitrogen which contains
30.4% by mass of nitrogen. Calculate the empirical formula of this oxide of nitrogen.

3.12) An oxide of nitrogen contains 25.9% by mass of nitrogen. Determine the empirical formula of
this oxide.

3.13) Sulfamic acid contains 14.42% by mass of nitrogen, 3.09% hydrogen and 33.06% sulfur. The
remainder is oxygen. Calculate the empirical formula of this sulfamic acid

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Combustion Analysis
0.328 g of a compound containing C,H and O was burnt completely in excess oxygen,
producing 0.880 g of carbon dioxide and 0.216 g of water. Use these data to calculate
the empirical formula of the compound.

Work out moles of CO2 = Mass of CO2/Mr of CO2

= 0.88/44
=0.02mol
Moles of C in compound = moles of CO2 Mass of C in = mol of C x 12
= 0.02 mol compound =0.02 x12
=0.24g
Work out moles of H2O = Mass of H2O /Mr of H2O
= 0.216/18
=0.012mol

Moles of H in compound = 2 x moles of H2O Mass of H in = mol of H x 1

= 0.024 mol compound =0.024 x1
=0.024g

Work out mass of O = mass of compound – mass of C – mass of H

in compound = 0.328 – 0.24 -0.024
=0.064

Work out moles of O = Mass of O /Ar of O

in compound = 0.064/16
= mol 0.004

Work out molar ratio

of 3 elements (divide C = 0.02/0.004 H = 0.024/0.004 O = 0.004/0.004
by smallest moles) =5 =6 =1

empirical formula = C5H6O

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Hydrated salt

A Hydrated salt contains water of crystallisation Example 6

Na2SO4 . xH2O has a molar mass of 322.1, Calculate
.
Cu(NO3)2 6H2O the value of x
hydrated copper (II) nitrate(V). Molar mass xH2O = 322.1 – (23x2 + 32.1 + 16x4)
= 180
Cu(NO3)2 X = 180/18
Anhydrous copper (II) nitrate(V). =10

This method could be used for measuring mass loss in various

Heating in a crucible thermal decomposition reactions and also for mass gain when
reacting magnesium in oxygen.

The lid improves the accuracy of the

The water of crystallisation in calcium sulphate crystals can be
experiment as it prevents loss of solid
removed as water vapour by heating as shown in the following
from the crucible but should be loose
equation.
fitting to allow gas to escape.
CaSO4.xH2O(s) → CaSO4(s) + xH2O(g)
Method.
•Weigh an empty clean dry crucible and lid .
•Add 2g of hydrated calcium sulphate to the crucible and
weigh again
•Heat strongly with a Bunsen for a couple of minutes
•Allow to cool
•Weigh the crucible and contents again
•Heat crucible again and reweigh until you reach a constant
mass ( do this to ensure reaction is complete).

Large amounts of hydrated calcium sulphate, such as

50g, should not be used in this experiment as the
decomposition is like to be incomplete.
Small amounts the solid , such as
0.100 g, should not be used in
The crucible needs to be dry otherwise a wet crucible this experiment as errors in
would give an inaccurate result. It would cause mass loss weighing are too high.
to be too large as water would be lost when heating.

Example 7 3.51 g of hydrated zinc sulphate were heated and 1.97 g

of anhydrous zinc sulphate were obtained.
Use these data to calculate the value of the integer x in ZnSO4.xH2O

Calculate the mass of H2O = 3.51 – 1.97 = 1.54g

Calculate moles Calculate moles = 1.54
= 1.97 of H2O
of ZnSO4 161.5 18

= 0.0122 =0.085

Calculate ratio of mole

of ZnSO4 to H2O = 0.0122 = 0.085
0.0122 0.0122
=7
=1
X=7

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Questions on hydrated salts

4.1) In an experiment, the Mr of a different hydrated sodium carbonate was found to be 250.
Use this value to calculate the number of molecules of water of crystallisation, x, in this
hydrated sodium carbonate, Na2CO3.xH2O

4.2) Hydrated sodium carbonate has the formula Na2CO3.10H2O. Calculate the percentage, by
mass, of Na2CO3 in hydrated sodium carbonate.

4.3) A hydrated sodium sulphate contains 44.1% by mass of sodium sulfate. Hydrated sodium
sulfate can be represented by the formula Na2SO4. xH2O where x is an integer. Calculate the
value of x.

4.4) Hydrated calcium nitrate can be represented by the formula Ca(NO3)2.xH2O where x is
an integer. A 9.06 g sample of Ca(NO3)2.xH2O contains 2.76 g of water of crystallisation.
Use this information to calculate a value for x.

4.5) 6.57 g of hydrated zinc sulfate (ZnSO4.xH2O) was heated and 3.69 g of anhydrous zinc
sulfate was obtained . Use this information to calculate the value of the integer x in ZnSO4.xH2O

4.6) If 15.82g of hydrated sodium thiosulphate Na2S2O3.5H2O are heated to remove the water of
crystallisation, what is the maximum mass of anhydrous sodium thiosulphate that will form?

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Answers

2.1)1336g
2.2) 0.407mol
2.3) 9.58 x 1023
1.1) 0.199mol 2.4) 67.7g
1.2) 0.9375mol 2.5) 229g
1.3)0.408mol 2.6) 2.46 x 1024
1.4 )39.1g 2.7)1.0073g
1.5) 18.5g 2.8) 6.03 x 1023
1.6) 408.6g 2.9) 6.0225x 1023
1.7) 24.3 Mg 2.10) the same
2.11) 2.32 x 1022
2.12) 3.82 x 10-23
2.13) 1.81 x 1024
2.14) 1.69 x 1023

3.1) CaSH4O8
3.2) CH3O 4.1) 8
3.3) Na2CrO4 4.2) 37%
3.4) Na2SO3 4.3) 10
3.5) MgN2O6 4.4) 4
3.6) KNO2 4.5) 7
3.7) NaClO3 4.6) 10.8g
3.8) C3H5O2 and C6H10O4
3.9) CH6N2O2
3.10) C2H4Br and C4H8Br2
3.11) NO2
3.12) N2O5
3.13) H3NSO3

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