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How to calculate molecular weight – percentage composition

Source: domena publiczna.

Link to the lesson

Before you start you should know
  • that atomic mass unit is used to determine the atomic weight, i.e. 1 unit = 1,66 · 10Indeks górny -24 g;

  • that atomic weight is a weight of an atom expressed using atomic mass units;

  • that atomic weight of a chemical element is an averaged value which depends on the percentage of individual isotopes.

You will learn
  • to calculate weight ratio if you know the percentage composition of the elements forming a chemical compound;

  • to determine percentage composition of a chemical compound.

How to calculate percentage of given element in a chemical compound?

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Nagranie dźwiękowe abstraktu.

Percentage of an element in a chemical compoundpercent composition of compoundsPercentage of an element in a chemical compound is calculated using the following formula:

mass percent of given element =mass of given element in the smallest structure of chemical compound [u]molecular weight of chemical compound [u] · 100 %

where:

mass of given element in the smallest structure = number of element’s atoms in the formula · atomic weight of an element [u]

Percentage content of a chemical element in a chemical compound is a ratio of weight of atoms of this element (expressed in units) in the smallest part of the chemical compound to the molecular weight of the compound, multiplied by 100%. A molecule is considered the smallest part of a chemical compound in case of covalent compounds, while the smallest set of repetitive ions is the smallest part in ionic compounds.

The percentage content is mass ratio of given element in total mass of a chemical element. That is why this value is sometimes called percentage mass content. If percentages of all elements present in a compound, we refer to percentage composition of the chemical compound.

Task 1

Watch presentation “How to calculate percentage composition of elements in a chemical compound”.

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Nagranie lektorskie

Molecular formula of hydrogen chloride

HCl

Numerical ratio of hydrogen atoms to chlorine atoms

1 : 1

Molecular weight of hydrogen chloride

36.5 u

Percentage content of hydrogen

atomic weight of hydrogen molecular weight of hydrogen chloride · 100% = 1 u36.5 u·100 % = 2.74%

Percentage content of chlorine

atomic weight of chlorinemolecular weight of hydrogen chloride · 100% = 35.5 u36.5 u · 100 % = 97.26%

Total percentage of hydrogen and chlorine

2.74% + 97.26% = 100%

The total percentage of all elements in the chemical compound is always equal to 100%. This means that without knowing the percentage of one element that is part of the compound one can easily calculate this value based on percentage for other elements of given compound.

Task 2

Have a look at the table “Percentage composition of oxygen in selected chemical compounds” and analyse the examples.

Formula of a chemical compound

Name of a chemical compound

Expression for percentage content of oxygen

Percentage content of oxygen [%]

MgO

magnesium oxide

16 u24 u + 16 u·100%

40.0

SO2

sulphur dioxide

2 · 16 u32 u + 2 · 16 u·100%

50.0

H2SO3

sulphurous acid

3 · 16 u2 · 1u + 32 u + 3 · 16 u·100%

58.5

H2SO4

sulphuric acid

4 · 16 u2 · 1u + 32 u + 4 · 16 u·100%

65.3

Task 3

Calculate percentage composition (mass ratio) of chemical elements in calcium chloride if the mass ratio of calcium to chlorine in calcium chloride amounts to 4 : 7

Task 4

What is the oxygen content in magnesium oxide with the formula MgO,, if the percentage of magnesium in this compound is 60%?

Task 5

Watch presentation “Calculation of mass ratio if percentage composition of elements forming chemical compound is known”.

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Nagranie dźwiękowe.
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Exercise 1
Percentage content of chemical elements in sulphur trioxide is as follows: Możliwe odpowiedzi: 1. 50% S and 50% O, 2. 40% S and 60% O, 3. 60% S and 40% O , 4. 86% S and 14% O
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Create a multiple-choice test based on today's lesson. Then exchange your questions with a friend or classmate.

Summary

  • Mass ratio of an element in a chemical composition is called the percentage content. It can be calculated from the the mass of given element in the smallest structure of the chemical compound to the molecular weight multiplied by 100%. Molecules are the smallest elements of a covalent compound, while the smallest set of repetitive ions is the smallest part in ionic compounds.

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Grafika przedstawiająca tablicę szkolną, na której znajdują się zdania do dokończenia. Finish selected sentences. 1 It was easy for me (uzupełnij). 2 It was difficult for me (uzupełnij). 3 Today I learned (uzupełnij). 4 I understood that (uzupełnij). 5 It surprised me (uzupełnij). 6. Today I found out (uzupełnij). 7. I was interested in (uzupełnij). 8. I still have to repeat (uzupełnij).
Source: GroMar Sp. z o.o., licencja: CC BY-SA 3.0.

Keywords

percent composition of compounds, mass ratio

Glossary

percent composition of compounds
percent composition of compounds
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Nagranie dźwiękowe słówka.

zawartość procentowa pierwiastka w związku chemicznym – udział masowy danego pierwiastka w związku chemicznym; stosunek masy atomów pierwiastka w najmniejszej strukturze związku chemicznego do masy cząsteczkowej związku pomnożony przez 100%; za najmniejszą część związku chemicznego uważa się cząsteczkę (w przypadku związków kowalencyjnych) bądź najmniejszy zbiór powtarzających się jonów (w związku o budowie jonowej