A skunk's spray contains the foul-smelling compound butanethiol,C₄H₈S.What is the percent by mass of carbon in this compound (to the nearest whole percent)?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The molar mass of butanethiol (C4H8S) is calculated by adding the atomic masses of its elements: (4*12.01) for carbon, (8*1.01) for hydrogen, and (1*32.07) for sulfur, totaling approximately 88.19 g/mol. The mass of carbon in the compound is (4*12.01) = 48.04 g/mol. The percent by mass of carbon is (48.04/88.19)*100 ≈ 55%.

A Skunk's Spray Contains the Foul-Smelling Compound Butanethiol,C4H8S

A Skunk's Spray Contains the Foul-Smelling Compound Butanethiol,C₄H₈S