1 Chapter 7 Chemical Quantities 7.4 Percent Composition and Empirical Formulas Basic Chemistry Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. The label on a bag of fertilizer states the percentages of N, P, and K.
2 Percent Composition Percent composition is the percent by mass of each element in a formula. Example: Calculate the percent composition of CO 2. CO 2 = 1C(12.01g) + 2O(16.00 g) = g/mol g C x 100 = 27.29% C g CO g O x 100 = 72.71% O g CO % Basic Chemistry Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
Calculating Percent Composition 3 Basic Chemistry Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
4 What is the percent composition of lactic acid, C 3 H 6 O 3, a compound that appears in the blood after vigorous activity? Learning Check Basic Chemistry Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
5 STEP 1 Determine the total mass of each element in the molar mass of a formula. 3C(12.01) = g of C + 6H(1.008) = g of H + 3O(16.00) = g of O = g/mol Solution Basic Chemistry Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
6 STEP 2 Divide the total mass of each element by the molar mass and multiply by 100%. %C = g C x 100= 40.00% C g %H = g H x 100 = 6.714% H g %O = g O x 100 = 53.29% O g Solution (continued) Basic Chemistry Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
7 Learning Check The chemical isoamyl acetate C 7 H 14 O 2 gives the odor of pears. What is the percent of carbon in isoamyl acetate? 1) %C 2) %C 3) %C Basic Chemistry Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
8 STEP 1 Determine the total mass of each element in the molar mass of a formula. 7C(12.01) = g of C + 14H(1.008) = g of H + 2O(16.00) = g of O Molar mass = g/mol Solution Basic Chemistry Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
9 STEP 2 Divide the total mass of each element by the molar mass and multiply by 100%. %C = total g C x 100% molar mass %C = g C x 100% = %C g Solution (continued) Basic Chemistry Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.