CHEMICAL FORMULAE AND EQUATION

RELATIVE MASS
Relative atomic mass atom

- state the meaning of relative atomic mass, relative

Relative molecular mass molecular

Relative formulae mass ion

molecular mass based on carbon-12 scale

- state why carbon- 12 is used as a standard for
determining the relative atomic mass and the relative
molecular mass.
- calculate the relative molecular mass of substances.

MOLE
- Define a mole
Mole and the number of particles - state the meaning of Avogadro constant, molar mass, molar
volume of a gas.

Mole and the mass of substance - relate the number of particles in one mole of substance using
Mole and the volume of gas

the Avogadro constant.

- relate molar mass to the Avogadro constant
- relate molar mass to its relative atomic mass or molecular mass
- solve numerical problems to convert :a. the number of moles of particles of a given substance and
vice versa
b. the number of moles of a gives substance to its mass and
via versa
c. number of particles, number of moles, mass of substances
and volume of gases at STP or room temperature.

CHEMICAL FORMULAE AND CHEMICAL EQUATION

Chemical formulae - state the meaning of chemical formulae
Empirical formula - state the meaning of empirical formula
Molecular formula - state the meaning of molecular formula
- determine empirical and molecular formula of substances
- compare and contrast empirical formula with molecular formula
- solve numerical problems involving empirical formula and molecular formula
Ionic formulae - write ionic formulae of ions
- construct chemical formulae of ionic compounds.
- State names of chemical compounds using IUPAC nomenclature.
Chemical Equations write and balance chemical equations
- interpret chemical equations quantitatively and qualitatively.
- Solve numerical problems usind chemicals equations.

03 CHEMICAL FORMULAE & EQUATION/SSR

3.0 CHEMICAL FORMULAE AND EQUATION

3.1

RELATIVE ATOMIC MASS AND RELATIVE MOLECULAR MASS

Relative Atomic Mass, Ar

1.
2.
3.
4.

The atomic mass of an atom found by comparing it with a standard atom is called relative atomic mass.
The modern standard to determine relative atomic mass is based on the carbon-12 atom.
Carbon-12 is chosen because it is a solid and can be easily handled, also used as a reference standard
in the mass spectrometer.
Relative atomic mass of an element is the number of times the mass of an atom is greater than 1/12 of
the mass of a carbon-12 atom. The relative mass of a carbon-12 atom is 12.000.
Relative atomic mass =

mass of one atom of an element

1
x mass of a carbon-12 atom
12
Element
Hydrogen
Helium
Carbon
Nitrogen

Symbol

Relative Atomic Mass

1

Chemist first started using

hydrogen atom and oxygen
atom as a standard,
however there had several
weaknesses.

He
14
A helium atom is 4 x as heavy as a
hydrogen atom

Relative molecular mass, Mr

1.

The relative molecular mass of substance is the number of time the molecule is greater than 1/12 of the
mass of a carbon-12 atom .
Relative atomic mass =

mass of one molecule of substance

1
x mass of a carbon-12 atom
12
2.

The relative molecular mass for a molecule can be calculated if the following are known:
a) the molecular formula of the substance
b) the relative atomic mass of each element in the molecule

Example:

(relative atomic mass: C;12, O;16)

Relative molecular mass of carbon dioxide, CO2 = 12 + (2x16) = 44

Activity 1: Complete the table below

Element
Molecular formula
Relative molecular mass
Hydrogen
H2
Oxygen
O2
Chlorine
Cl2
Phosphorus
P4
Sulphur
S8
I2
Ammonia
NH3
Water
H2O
H3PO4
(Relative atomic mass: H;1, N;14, O; 16, P;31, S;32, Cl; 35.5)

03 CHEMICAL FORMULAE & EQUATION/SSR

 Relative formula mass

1.

The relative formula mass of a substance is the number of times on ionic substances is greater than
1/12 of a carbon -12 atom.
The method used to determine relative formula mass is similar to the method used to determine the
relative molecular mass of a substance.

2.

Example:

Calculate the relative formula mass of copper(II) chloride,

CuCl2 = 64 + (2x35.5) = 135

Activity 2:
Complete the table below.
Compound
Sodium chloride
Potassium oxide
Aluminium sulphate
Hydrochloric acid
Sodium carbonate

Compound formula
Relative formula mass
NaCl
K2O
Al2(SO4)3
HCl
Na2CO3
CaCO3
Cu(NO3)2
Ammonium carbonate
(NH4)2CO3
(Relative atomic mass: O,16; Na,23; Al,27; S, 32; Cl, 35.5; K,39; Cu,64; N,14; Ca,40)

Quick Review text book page 30

1.How many atoms of nitrogen have the same mass as one atom of iron?

2.

The mass of an atom of element Y is ten times greater than the mass of an atom of beryllium.
What is the relative atomic mass of Y?

3.Gypsum, CaSO4.2H2O is widely used in plastering of walls and ceilings. Show that the relative formula
mass of gypsum is 172.

4.

The element chlorine forms a compound with oxygen with the molecular formula Cl 2 On. The relative
molecular mass of the compound is 183. What is the value of n.?

3.2 THE MOLE AND THE NUMBER OF PARTICLES

1.
2.
3.

A mole is an amount of substance that contains as many particles as the number of atoms in
exactly 12 g of carbon-12.
The number of particles in one mole of substance, is called Avogadro constant or the
Avogadro number NA which is 6.02 x 1023 .
Mol is a standard unit of mole. One mole of substance contains 6.02 x 10 23 particle(atom,
molecule, ion - depend the type of substance)
1 mol of atomic substance contains 6.02 x 1023 atoms.
1 mol of molecular substance contains 6.02 x 1023 molecules.
1 mol of ionic substance contains 6.02 x 1023 formula units.

03 CHEMICAL FORMULAE & EQUATION/SSR

A. The mole & The number of Particles

x NA
Number of moles

Number of particles
NA

Eg:
1. 1 mol Lead, Pb contains 6.02 x 1023 atom
2. 1 mol water, H2O contains 6.02 x 1023 molecule

1 mol of Zinc ion ; 1 x 6.02 x 1023

3. 1 mol zinc bromide, ZnBr2 contains 6.02 x 1023 formula unit of ZnBr2

2 mol of bromide ions; 2 x 6.02 x 1023

= 3 x 6.02 x 1023
Substance
Chlorine gas
Carbon dioxide
Ammonia
Sulphur dioxide

Formulae
Cl2
CO2
NH3
SO2

Diagram

Number of atom per molecule

Compare between mol and molecule

. Cl2 Molecule
1. 1 mol of Cl2
. Mol of Atom Cl
(chlorine gas)

2. 1 mol of H2O
(water)

. H2O Molecule
. Mol of atom
. NH3 Molecule
. Mol of atom

3. 1 mol of NH3
(ammonia)
4 . 2 mol SO2
Sulphur dioxide

. Mol O atom
. Mol H atom
. Mol of N atom, no. of N atom .
. Mol of H atom, no of H atom ..

. SO2 Molecule
. Mol of atom

. Mol atom S, no. of S atom .

. Mol atom O, no of O atom ..

Complete the table below:

Number of mole

Number of particles (NA , 6.02 x 1023 )

mol of carbon atom

0.5 x 6.02 x 1023 of carbon atom

= ..

0.2 mol of hydrogen gas (H2)

.. mol of carbon dioxide molecule (CO2)

i.

of hydrogen molecule

ii.

..of hydrogen atom

i. of carbon dioxide molecule

ii of carbon atom and
of oxygen atom

03 CHEMICAL FORMULAE & EQUATION/SSR

Quick review (NA , 6.02 x 1023 )

1.

A sample of oxygen gas contains 3.01 x 1023 O2 molecules. How many moles of O2 molecules are there
in the sample?

2.

0.4 mole cooper(II) chloride, CuCl2 is dissolved in a beaker of water. Calculate the total number of ions
present in the beaker.

3.

A gas jar contains 0.2 mole of carbon dioxide. Find

(a) the number of molecules in the gas jar,
(b) the number of carbon atom and oxygen atom that made up the carbon dioxide in the gas jar.

BB The mole & The mass of substances

1. Molar mass is the mass of one mole of any substance.
2. The molar mass of a substance
= The mass of 1 mol of substance
= The mass of NA number (6.02 x 1023 ) of particles
x molar mass
Number of mole

Mass of substances
Molar mass

Eg:
1. What is the mass of
a) 0.1 mol of magnesium?
b) 2.408 x 1023 atom of magnesium?
( Relative atomic mass: Mg, 24 ; Avogadro number: 6.02 x 10 23 mol-1 )

a) 0.1 x 24 = 2.4 g
b) 2.408 x 1023
6.02 x 1023
2.

= 0.4 mol x 24

= 9.6 g

How much is the mass in gram of 0.5 mol carbon dioxide, CO 2?

Number of moles =

mass
Relative atomic mass

0.5 = mass
12 +(2x16)
Mass = 0.5 x 44 = 22 g
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Test yourself
1. How much mass in gram found in 0.5 mol of magnesium, Mg?

2. What is the mass of 10 moles of water

3. What is the mass of copper that has the same number of atom as in 4 g of argon?

4. Calculate the number of mole found in 50 gram of calcium carbonate, CaCO3.

C. The mole & The volume of gas

1. The molar volume of a gas is the volume of one mole of the gas.
2. The molar volume of any gas is 22.4 dm3mol-1 at STP or 24 dm3mol-1 at room temperature.
x molar volume
Number of mole

the volume of gas

molar volume

Eg:
1.
Calculate the number of moles of gas at STP for 11.2 dm3 of oxygen. (molar volume:
22.4dm3 at STP)
Number of moles =

volume of gas
Molar volume of gas

= 11.2 = 0.5 mol

22.4
2.

Find the number of moles of oxygen gas contained sample of 120 cm3 of the gas at room
temperature.
Number of moles of oxygen gas in the sample
=

120
24 x 1000

= 0.0005 mol

03 CHEMICAL FORMULAE & EQUATION/SSR

Test yourself
1. How many moles of hydrogen gas occupies a volume of 840 cm3 at room temperature?

2. Calculate the volume for 2.5 mol of sulphur dioxide gas, SO2 at room temperature

3. How much mass of methane, CH4 occupies 240 cm3 at STP?

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE NUMBER OF MOLES, NUMBER OF PARTICLES, MASS AND VOLUME OF GAS

mass

Number of mole

Number of particle

volume

Exercise:
[relative atomic mass: H,1; O,16; Al,27; Avogadro constant: 6.02 x 1023]
1. Calculate the number of water molecules in 90g of water.

2. What is the volume of 24g of methane at STP?

3. How many aluminium ions are there in 20.4g of aluminium oxide?

4. Find the volume of nitrogen in cm3 at STP that consists of 2.408 x 1023 nitrogen molecules.

03 CHEMICAL FORMULAE & EQUATION/SSR

CHEMICAL FORMULAE
1.

Symbol of elements consist one or two letters. For elements with two letter symbols, the
first letter is a capital letter and the second letter is a small letter.

Element
Symbol
Element
Symbol
Hydrogen
H
Carbon
Helium
He
Nitrogen
Barium
Ba
Neon
Beryllium
Be
Sodium (Natrium)
Boron
B
Potassium (Kalium)
Aluminium
Copper (Cuprum)
Argon
Iron (Ferum)
Argentum
Phosphorus
Calsium
Lead
Aurum
Mercury(Hargerum)
2.
A chemical formula is the symbol or symbols of elements which are combined and written
together to represent a chemical compound.
Eg:
(a) sodium chloride, NaCl
(b) ammonia, NH3
(c) carbon dioxide, CO2
3.

From a chemical formula, we can acquire information on the

a)

b)

c)

4.

There are two types of chemical formula:

a) Empirical formula

b)

Molecular formula

Eg:
Empirical formula of glucose
C6H12O6 = CH2O
Ratio of atoms:
6:12:6
Simplest ratio:
1:2:1

03 CHEMICAL FORMULAE & EQUATION/SSR

Molecular formula for glucose

C6H12O6

Calculation involving empirical formulae

Eg: ;
1.

2.24g of iron combines chemically with 0.96g of oxygen to form an oxide. What is the
empirical formula of the oxide? (Relative atomic mass, Fe, 56; O, 16)
Element
Iron, Fe
Oxygen,O
Mass, g
2.24
0.96
Number of moles
2.24 = 0.04
0.96 = 0.06
56
16
Ratio of moles
0.04 = 1
0.06 = 1.5
0.04
0.04
Simplest ratio of moles
1x2=2
1.5 x 2 = 3
The empirical formula for iron oxide = Fe2O3.
2. Cooper(II) iodide contains 20.13% of cooper by mass. Find its empirical formula.
(Relative atomic mass, Cu, 64; I, 127; )
Element
Cu
I
Mass, g
Number of moles
Ratio of moles
Simplest ratio of moles
The empirical formula of the compound is = .
3.

0.2g of an oxide of metal p contains 0.08g oxygen. What is the empirical formula for this
compound?(Relative atomic mass: O,16; P,24)
Element
Mass, g
Number of moles of atom
Ratio of moles
Simplest ratio of moles
The empirical formula of the compound is = .
4.

0.09g of element T combines with 0.08g of element Q to form a compound with an empirical
formula of T2O3. what is the relative atomic mass of element T?
(Relative atomic mass, Q, 16)
Element
Mass, g
Number of moles
Ratio of moles
Simplest ratio of moles
03 CHEMICAL FORMULAE & EQUATION/SSR

The relative atomic mass of T=

1.

0.20 g of calcium react with fluorine to give 0.39 g calcium fluoride. Find the empirical formula
of the fluoride compound produced.

2.

Find the empirical formula of a compound that consist of 32.4 % of sodium, 22.6% of sulphur
and 45% of oxygen.

3.

60 g of aluminium sulphide contains 38.4g of sulphur. Find the empirical formula of the
compound.

EMPIRICAL FORMULA (Practical book)

EXP: TO DETERMINE THE EMPIRICAL
EXP: TO DETERMINE THE EMPIRICAL
FORMULA OF COPPER(II) OXIDE
FORMULA OF MAGNESIUM OXIDE
Chemical Equation
Chemical Equation
PICTURE:

PICTURE:

Why we are using a different method to determine the empirical formula of cooper oxide and
magnesium oxide?
Because hydrogen more reactive than copper and magnesium more reactive than hydrogen in
reactivity series
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Finding molecular formulae

1. Actually the molecular formula of a compound is a multiple of its empirical formula.
(empirical formula)n = Molecular formula
Compound
Water
Carbon dioxide
Ethane
Propene
glucose

Whereby n is a positive integer

Empirical formula

Molecular formula

H2O
CO2
CH3
CH2
CH2O

1
1
2
3
6

Example:
1.
A carbon compound has an empirical formula of CH2 and a relative molecular mass of 70. find the
molecular formula of the compound.
Solution;
Let the molecular formula of the compound to be (CH2)n
(CH2)n
= relative molecular mass
n[12+2(1)] = 70
14n
= 70
n = 70
14
= 5
The molecular formula of the compound = (CH 2)5 = C5H10.
2.

8.5g of hydrogen peroxide contains 0.5g of hydrogen. If the molar mass of hydrogen peroxide is
34 gmol-1 find its molecular formula.

Element
Mass, g
Number of moles

Hydrogen, H
0.5
0.5/1 = 0.5

Oxygen, O
8.0
8/16 = 0.5

Ratio of moles

0.5/0.5 = 1

0.5/0.5 = 1

Simplest ratio of moles

Empirical formula = HO

(HO)n = relative molecular mass

n(1 + 16) = 34
17n = 34
n= 34/17 = 2
molecular formula = (HO)2 = H2O2

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Chemical Formulae Of Ionic Compounds

1.
Ionic compounds are formed from the combination of positive ions(cation) and negative ions
(anion)
Complete the table below
POSITIVE ION (CATION)
NEGATIVE ION (ANION)
Ion name
Formula of cation
Ion name
Formula of anion
Sodium ion
Chloride ion
Potassium ion

Bromide ion

Argentum ion

Iodide ion

Ammonium ion

Hydroxide ion

Zinc ion

Nitrate ion

Magnesium ion

Oxide ion

Calcium ion

Sulphate ion

Copper(II) ion

Carbonate ion

Lead(II) ion

Phosphate ion

Iron(II) ion
Iron(III) ion
Aluminium ion
2.

The chemical formulae for ionic compounds is constructed by balancing the charge positive
and negative ion which are chemically combined.

Eg:
determine Cation/anion
Crossing number of charge
Ratio
Formula of compound

Zinc Bromide
Zn2+ Br +2 -1
1
2
ZnBr2.

Write the chemical formula for each of the compounds in the table below
Ionic compound
Crossing method
Chemical formula/
Ionic compound
Ionic formula
Sodium oxide
Ammonium
carbonate
Copper(II) chloride
Aluminium
oxide
Magnesium
Argentum
hydroxide
chloride
Hydrochloric acid
Potassium
carbonate
Calcium carbonate
Iron(II)
hydroxide
03 CHEMICAL FORMULAE & EQUATION/SSR

Chemical formula/
Ionic formula

12

Zinc chloride

Magnesium
chloride
Calcium nitrate

Copper(II) oxide
Lead nitrate

Aluminium
sulphate

Chemical Equations
1. Chemical equations describe a chemical reaction with occurs qualitatively and quantitatively.
Interpretation of chemical equation:
a)
From the qualitative aspect,
1. type of reactants and products formed
2. the physical state of reactants and products
Eg: The combustion of carbon in charcoal
C(s) + O2(g)
reactants

symbol
s
l
G
ak

CO2(g)
product

information
Solid
Liquid
Gas
Aqueous
produce
heat

b)

From the quantitative aspect;

1. the number of mole of the reactants and the products formed.
Eg:
2H2
2 molecules
Or
2 mol
2 molecules of
hydrogen gas, H2

react
with

O2
1 molecule
Or
1 mol
1 molecule of oxygen
gas, O2

2H2O.
2 molecules
Or
2 mol
to produce

2 molecules of
water, H2O.

Writing chemical equations

S1:
S2:
S3:
S4:

Write the equation in word. The reactants are written on the left, the products are written on the
right.
Write the correct chemical formula for each reactant and product.
Balance the coefficients in front of the chemical formulae and not the subscripts in the formulae.
Put the state symbols in the equation.

Eg: Refer Text book page 49.

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Test your self; 3.12 Writing and Balancing equation. Text book page 50.
1.

Carbon monoxide gas + oxygen gas

carbon dioxide gas.

2.

Hydrogen gas + nitrogen gas

3.

Aluminium + iron (III) okxide

4.

Ammonia gas react with oxygen gas to yield nitrogen monoxide gas and water.

5.

Silver nitrate solution is added to calcium chloride solution. Silver chloride precipitate and calcium
nitrate solution are produced.

6.

When solid zinc carbonate is heated, it decomposes into zinc oxide powder and carbon dioxide gas.

ammonia gas
aluminium oxide + iron

Solve Numerical Problems Using Chemical Equations

Quick Review Text book page 53.
1.

Write balanced chemical equations for the following reactions.

a) Iron + sulphuric acid
iron(III) sulphate solution + hygrogen gas
b)

2.

Copper wire burns in oxygen gas to produce black powder of copper(II) oxide

The following equation is not balanced.

Na2SO4 (aq) + BaCl2 (aq)

BaSO4 (s)

NaCl (aq)

a) Identify the reactants and products of the reaction.

b) Balance the equation. Then calculate:
(i)
the number of moles of sodium sulphate, Na2SO that react completely with a solution
containing 2.08 g of barium chloride, BaCl2.
(ii)
the mass of barium sulphate, BaSO4 formed when 1 mol of sodium sulphate Na2SO4 is
reacted with 1 mol of barium chloride, BaCl2.

03 CHEMICAL FORMULAE & EQUATION/SSR

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