A sample of an ionic compound was analyzed and found to contain 6.072 g of sodium, 8.474 g of sulfur, and 6.336 g of oxygen. What is its empirical formula?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The molar masses are approximately: Na = 23 g/mol, S = 32 g/mol, O = 16 g/mol. Moles of each element: Na = 6.072/23 ≈ 0.264, S = 8.474/32 ≈ 0.265, O = 6.336/16 ≈ 0.396. The simplest ratio is approximately 2:2:3, giving Na2S2O3.

A Sample of an Ionic Compound Was Analyzed and Found