CHAPTER 3: CHEMICAL FORMULAE AND EQUATIONS

3.1 Relative Atomic Mass and Relative Molecular Mass

Relative atomic mass

Relative molecular mass

Example 1
Given that the formula of a compound is KXO3 and its relative molecular mass is 167.
Find the relative atomic mass of element X? (Ar: O = 16, K = 39)
Assume relative atomic mass of element X = m,
The relative molecular mass of KXO3 = 39 + m + 3(16) = 167
167 = 87 + m
m = 80
So, the relative atomic mass of element X = 80.

Example 2
The general formula of a hydrocarbon is CnH2n and the relative molecular mass of the
hydrocarbon is 84. Find the value of n.
Relative molecular mass of CnH2n = n(12) + 2n (1) = 84
84 = 14n
n=6

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3.2 The Mole and the Number of Particles

Avogadro constant
Number of
particles / atoms /
molecules

Number of moles

Avogadro constant

Example 3
How many molecules are there in 1.5 mol of carbon dioxide, CO2?
Number of molecules = Number of moles Avogadro constant
= 1.5 6.02 1023
= 9.03 1023 molecules

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3.3 The Mole and the Mass of Substances

Molar mass
Mass of
substances

Number of
moles
Molar mass

Example 4
What is the number of moles of sodium, Na, which contains twice the number of
atoms found in 8 g of oxygen atoms, O?
Number of moles of oxygen =
=
= 0.5 mol
So, number of moles of sodium

= 2 0.5
= 1.0 mol

Molar mass
Mass of
substances

Avogadro constant
Number of
moles

Molar mass

Number of
particles

Avogadro constant

Example 5
Calculate the number of molecules found in 11 g of carbon dioxide, CO2.
Number of moles of carbon dioxide =
=
= 0.25 mol
So, number of molecules of carbon dioxide = Number of moles Avogadro constant
= 0.25 6.02 1023
= 1.505 1023 molecules

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3.4 The Mole and the Volume of Gas

Molar volume
Number of
moles

Volume of gas

Molar volume

Example 6
Calculate the volume of nitrogen, N2, gas containing 1.5 1023 molecules at s.t.p.
Number of moles of nitrogen =
=
= 0.25 mol
So, volume of nitrogen

= Number of moles Molar volume

= 0.25 22.4
= 5.6 dm3

Molar mass

Avogadro constant
Number of
moles

Mass
Molar mass

Molar volume

Number of
particles

Avogadro constant
Molar volume

Volume of gas

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3.5 Chemical Formulae

Empirical formula
Steps to determine the empirical formula of a compound
Step 1:
Find the mass.
Step 2:
Find the moles.
Step 3:
Find the simplest ratio.
Example 7
Determine the empirical formula of a compound which has a percentage of
composition Mg: 20.2%, S: 26.6%, O: 53.2%.

Element
Percentage (%)
Mass in 100 g (g)

Mg
20.2
20.2

S
26.6
26.6

O
53.2
53.2

Number of mole (mol)

Simplest ratio
So, the empirical formula of the compound is MgSO4.

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Molecular formula
(Empirical formula)n = Molecular formula
= Relative molecular mass
Example 8
0.36 g of carbon combines with 0.06 g of hydrogen to form a hydrocarbon. The
relatives molecular mass of the hydrocarbon is 42. Calculate
a. The empirical formula of the hydrocarbon.
b. The molecular formula of the hydrocarbon.
a.
Element
Mass (g)
Number of moles
(mol)

C
0.36

H
0.06

Simplest ratio
So, the empirical formula of the compound is CH2.
b.

(CH2)n = 42
n [12 + 2(1)] = 42
14n = 42
n =3
So, the molecular formula of the compound is C3H6.

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3.6 Chemical Equations

Writing balanced chemical equations
Step 1: Determine the reactants and write the symbols and the physical states.
Step 2: Determine the products and write the chemical formula of the products and
their physical states.
Step 3: Balance the number of atoms on the left and right of the equation.
Example 9
Calculate the mass of zinc, Zn, reacting with dilute nitric acid. HNO3, if 360 cm3 of
hydrogen, H2, gas is released in this reaction.
Zn (s) + 2HNO3 (aq) Zn(NO3)2 (aq) + H2 (g)
Number of moles of H2

=
=
= 0.015 mol

1 mol of Zn produce 1 mol of H2

So, 0.015 mol of H2 produced by 0.015 mol of Zn.
So, the mass of Zn

= Number of moles Molar mass

= 0.015 65
= 0.975 g

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