Determine the empirical formula of a compound containing 59.0% Na and 41.0% O by mass.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The empirical formula is determined by dividing the percent composition by the atomic mass of each element to find the mole ratio. For Na (atomic mass ≈ 23 g/mol), 59.0% corresponds to 59.0 / 23 ≈ 2.57 moles. For O (atomic mass ≈ 16 g/mol), 41.0% corresponds to 41.0 / 16 ≈ 2.56 moles. The ratio of Na to O is approximately 1:1, making the empirical formula NaO.

Determine the Empirical Formula of a Compound Containing 59