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3. Potassium cyanide, KCN, is extremely poisonous. A lethal dose is

All the problems presented in this handout are taken from Mortimer’s approximately 5.00mg (5.00x10-3 g) for every kilogram of a body weight.
Intrduction to Chemistry, 6th edition. (a) How many milligrams of KCN constitute a lethal quantity of a 70.0kg
person?
1. The molecular formula of a compound is either C6H6O2 or C6H6O. If the ⎛ 5.00mg KCN ⎞
compound is 65.4% carbon, which of the two formulas is correct? ?mg KCN = 70.0kg person ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟
⎝ 1 kg person ⎠
The only way to determine which compound contains 65.4% carbon is to check the = 350 mg KCN
percentage of the carbon present in each of the compound.
(b) How many moles of KCN are there in this amount?

6 mol C ⎛ 1g ⎞⎛ 1 mol KCN ⎞

%C = ? mol KCN = 350 mg KCN⎜⎜ ⎟⎟⎜⎜ ⎟⎟
1 mol C6H6O2
⎝ 1000 mg ⎠⎝ 65.12 g KCN ⎠
6 x 12.01 g
= x 100 = 5.37x10-3 mol KCN
(6x12.01) + (6 x 1.01) + (2 x 16.00)
= 65.4%
4. What mass of lead is theoretically obtained from 15.0kg of galena ore that
is 72.0% PbS?
2. One molecule of the hormone insulin has a mass of 9.5x10-21g. What is Ores are naturally occurring minerals that contain certain substances and impurities. In
the molar mass of insulin? the given problem, it must be understood that in every 100 mass units of ore, 72 mass
The mass given, 9.5x10-21g, is the mass of only one molecule of insulin. Avogadro’s units of it is that of PbS and the remaining amount (28 mass units) is that of the
number or 6.02x1023molecules consist 1 mole. So the mass of 1 mole of insulin is the impurities (mass units can be any unit of mass like milligrams, grams, kilograms, etc.
same as the mass of 6.02x1023molecules of insulin. Hence, 72.0% means, 72.0mg/100mg, 72.0g/100g, 72.0kg/100kg, and so on). Therefore,
in the given 15.0kg galena ore, 72/100 parts of it is the mass of PbS.
⎛ 9.5x10‐21g ⎞⎛ 6.02x1023molecules ⎞
?molar mass insulin  =   ⎜ ⎟⎜ ⎟ ⎛ 72.0 kg PbS ⎞
⎝ molecule ⎠⎝ 1 mole  ⎠ ? kgPbS = 15.0kg galena ore⎜⎜ ⎟⎟
⎝ 100 kg galena ore ⎠
g = 10.8kg PbS
=  5.7x103  
mol
The mass that we obtained above is the combined mass of Pb and S according to
corresponding percentages.

207.20 mass units Pb

% Pb = x 100
239.27 mass units PbS
= 86.60%

The above result implies that 86.60% of 10.8kg is the mass of lead. Thus,

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⎛ 86.60kg Pb ⎞ ⎛ 100kg Fe2O3 ⎞

? kg Pb = 10.8kg PbS⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ ?kg Fe2O3 = 2.7845kg Fe⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ = 3.9813 kg Fe2O3
⎝ 100 kg PbS ⎠ ⎝ 69.94kg Fe ⎠
= 9.35kg Pb
If you consider the previous steps, we can do
OR Combining the three equations above, you get a net equation similar to this one.
⎛ 159.70kg Fe2O3 ⎞
?kg Fe2O3 = 2.7845kg Fe⎜⎜ ⎟⎟
⎛ 72.0 kg PbS ⎞⎛ 207.2kg Pb ⎞ ⎝ 111.70kg Fe ⎠
? kg Pb = 15.0kg galena ore ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ = 3.9811 kg Fe2O3
⎝ 100 kg galena ore ⎠⎝ 239.27 kg PbS ⎠
= 9.35 kg Pb
The two give us different slightly results but we have to consider that 69.94 was rounded
5. What mass of manganese is theoretically obtainable from 25.0kg of value. However, the result implies that out of 5.000kg given, 3.9813kg is the mass of Fe2O3.
pyrolusite ore that is 65.0% MnO2? The next computation gives us the percentage of Fe2O3 in the ore.

⎛ 65.0 kg MnO 2 ⎞⎛ 54.94 kg Mn ⎞

? kg Mn = 25.0kg pyrolusite ore ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟⎜⎜ ⎟⎟
⎝ 100 kg pyrolusite ore ⎠⎝ 86.94 kg MnO 2 ⎠ 3.9813
% Fe2O3 = x 100 = 79.63%
= 10.3 kg Mn 5.000

7. How many grams of phosphorus and oxygen are theoretically needed to

6. The mineral hematite is Fe2O3. Hematite ore contains unwanted materials
make 6.000g of P4O6?
called gangue, in addition to Fe2O3. If 5.000kg ore contains 2.7845kg of The 6.000g P4O6 in the problem the combined mass of P and that of O. The division of this
Fe, what is the percentage of the ore is Fe2O3? mass is according to the percentage of each element in the compound.
The 5.000kg given is the mass of the ore, composed of the compound Fe2O3 and some 4(30.97)
impurities. We cannot just assign figures for the amount of Fe2O3 present in the ore, so, we %P = x 100 = 56.34%
will start our computation with the mass of Fe. 219.88

The mass of Fe represents a certain percentage of the total mass of the compound, Fe2O3. This means that O is 100%-56.34%=43.66%. From this data, mass of each element can be
111.70 derived.
% Fe = x 100 = 69.94%
159.70
⎛ 56.34g P ⎞
?g P = 6.000g P4O6 ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ = 3.380 g P
This will imply that the mass of Fe in the given, 2.7845kg is only 69.94% of the mass of Fe2O3 ⎝ 100 g P4O6 ⎠
present in the ore. The following solution would give us the 100% of the mass.
2.7845 Since there are only two elements in the compound, the remaining mass is the mass of O, thus,
?kg = = 3.98 kg
0.6994
Roughly, this is how the derivation usually done. But we have to show how the units are ?g O = 6.000g - 3.380g = 2.620g O
cancelled, so we will follow a more systematic method where the cancellation of units is clear.

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We have now obtained the mass of the two elements that compose the compound P4O6. By obtaining the mass of C and H, we can now derive the mass of O.
However, we can summarize the above equations to this.
?g O = g sample - (gC + gO)
⎛ 123.88g P ⎞ = 6.50 g - (5.319 + 0.397)g
?g P = 6.000g P4 O 6 ⎜⎜ ⎟ = 3.380g P
⎟
⎝ 219.88 g P4 O 6 ⎠ = 0.784 g O

? g O = 6.000g - 3.380g = 2.620 g O Now, we can start computing for the percentages of each element
5.319
%C= x 100 = 81.8%
6.50
8. How many grams of sulfur and chlorine are theoretically needed to make
0.397
5.000g S2Cl2? %H= x 100 = 6.11%
6.50
⎛ 64.14 g S ⎞
?g S = 5.000g S 2 Cl2 ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ 0.784
⎝ 135.04 g S Cl
2 2 ⎠
%O= x 100 = 12.1%
6.50
= 2.375g S
10. A plastic derived from methyl methacrylate contains carbon, hydrogen and
oxygen. The combustion of a 12.62g sample of a plastic yields 27.73g of
? g Cl = 5.000g - 2.375g carbon dioxide and 9.09g of water. What is the percentage composition of
= 2.625 g Cl the water?
9. Cinnamaldehyde, a compound found in common cinnamon oil, contains ⎛ 12.01g C ⎞
?g C = 27.73g CO2 ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟
carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. The combustion of a 6.50g sample yields ⎝ 44.01g CO2 ⎠
19.49g of CO2 and 3.54g H2O. What is the percentage composition of = 7.57g CO2
cinnamaldehyde? 7.57
%C = x 100 = 60.0%
12.62
All the carbon found in cinnamaldehyde are converted into CO2, thus, the mass of carbon ⎛ 2.02g H ⎞ 1.02
present in 19.49g CO2 is the same amount of carbon present in 6.50g cinnamaldehyde. ?g H = 9.09gH2O⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ %H= x 100 = 8.08%
⎝ 18.02g H2O ⎠ 12.62
= 1.02g H2O 4.03
⎛ 12.01 g C ⎞ %O= x 100 = 31.9%
?g C = 19.49 g CO2 ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ 12.62
⎝ 44.01 g CO2 ⎠
= 5.319 g C ?g O = 12.62g - (7.57 + 1.02)g
= 4.03g O
Conversely, the mass of hydrogen present in 3.54g H2O is exactly the same amount of
hydrogen present in 6.50g cinnamaldehyde.
⎛ 2.02 g H ⎞
?g H  =  3.54 g H2O ⎜ ⎟ =  0.397 g H2O
⎝ 18.02 g H2O ⎠

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11. Sulfur-containing compounds are undesirable component in some oils. The 7C = 84.07
amount of sulfur in an oil can be determined by oxidizing the sulfur to 5H = 5.05
SO42- and precipitating the sulfate ion as BaSO4, which can be dried and
3O = 48.00 MF 183.18
weighed. From a 6.300g sample of an oil, 1.063g of BaSO4 was obtained. multiplier = = =1
What is the percentage of sulfur in an oil? S = 32.07 EF 183.20
N = 14.01
⎛ 32.07g S ⎞ 183.20
?g S = 1.063g BaSO4 ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟
⎝ 233.40g BaSO4 ⎠
The multiplier suggest that there was no reduction of the formula, thus,
= 0.1461g S
the empirical formula is the same as the molecular formula.

0.1461 13. Muscone, the odor-bearing constituent of must, has a molecular formula
%S= x 100 = 2.319%
6.300 C16H30O.
12. The molecular weight of saccharin is 183.18 and the compound is 45.90% (a) If 5.000g of muscone is burned in oxygen and if all the compound was
carbon, 2.75% hydrogen, 26.20% oxygen, 17.50% sulfur and 7.65% converted into CO2, what mass of CO2 is obtained?
nitrogen. What is the molecular formula of saccharin?
⎛ 256.00g C ⎞⎛ 44.01g CO 2 ⎞
?g CO 2 = 5.000g C16H30 O ⎜⎜ ⎟⎜⎜
⎟ ⎟⎟
⎛  45.90 ⎞ ⎝ 302.30g C16H30 O ⎠⎝ 12.01g C ⎠
C  =   ⎜ ⎟ =  3.822  ≈  7
⎝ 12.01 ⎠ = 15.52 g CO 2
⎛  2.75 ⎞
 H  =    ⎜ ⎟ =  2.72  ≈  5
⎝ 1.01 ⎠ (b) If all the hydrogen is converted into H2O, what mass of H2O is
⎛ 26.20 ⎞ obtained?
 O  =    ⎜ ⎟   =  1.638  ≈  3
⎝ 16.00 ⎠ ⎛ 30.30g H ⎞ ⎛ 18.02gH2O ⎞
?g H2O  =  5.000g C16H30O  ⎜ ⎟⎜ ⎟
⎛ 17.50 ⎞ ⎝ 302.30g C16H30O ⎠ ⎝ 2.02g H ⎠
S  =   ⎜ ⎟   =  0.5457  ≈  1
⎝ 32.07 ⎠
=  4.471 g H2O
⎛  7.56 ⎞
N  =    ⎜ ⎟   =  0.540  ≈  1
⎝ 14.01 ⎠

Thus the empirical formula of saccharin is C7H5O3SN. The empirical mass

is

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14. A sample of compound that contains only carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen 15. A sample of a compound that contains only carbon, hydrogen and sulfur
was burned in oxygen and 7.922g of CO2, 4.325g of H2O and 0.840g of N2 was burned in oxygen and 9.682g of CO2, 4.956g H2O and 3.523g of SO2
were obtained. were obtained.
(a) How many moles of C atoms, H atoms, and of N atoms did the sample (a) How many moles of C atoms, H atoms, and of S atoms did the sample
contain? contain?
⎛ 12.01g C ⎞⎛ 1mol C ⎞ ⎛ 12.01g C ⎞⎛ 1mol C ⎞
?mol C = 7.922g CO 2 ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ = 0.1800 mol C ?mol C = 9.682g CO2 ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ = 0.2200 mol C
⎝ 44.01gCO 2 ⎠⎝ 12.01 g C ⎠ ⎝ 44.01gCO2 ⎠⎝ 12.01 g C ⎠
⎛ 2.02g H ⎞⎛ 1 mol H ⎞ ⎛ 2.02g H ⎞⎛ 1 mol H ⎞
? mol H = 4.956g H2 O ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ = 0.5501 mol H ? mol H = 4.956g H2O ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ = 0.5501 mol H
⎝ 18.02 g H2 O ⎠⎝ 1.01 g H ⎠ ⎝ 18.02 g H2O ⎠⎝ 1.01 g H ⎠
⎛ 1 mol N ⎞ ⎛ 32.07g S ⎞⎛ 1 mol S ⎞
? mol N = 0.840g N2 ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ = 0.05996 mol N ? mol S = 3.523g SO2 ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ = 0.05499 mol N
⎝ 14.01g N ⎠ ⎝ 64.07g SO2 ⎠⎝ 32.07 g S ⎠
(b) What is the empirical formula of the compound? (b) What is the empirical formula of the compound?

0.1800 0.5501 0.05996 0.2200 0.5501 0.05499

C= = 3 ;H = = 9 ;N = =1 C= = 4 ;H = = 10 ; S = =1
0.05996 0.05996 0.05996 0.05499 0.05499 0.05499
Thus, the empirical formula of the compound is C3H9N.
Empirical formula is C4H10S

(c) What was the mass of the sample that was burned? (c) What was the mass of the sample that was burned?
⎛ 90.12 g C 4H10S ⎞
?g sample = 3.523gS⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ = 9.910gC 4H10S
⎛ 59.13g C3H9N ⎞ ⎝ 32.07g sample ⎠
?g sample = 0.840g N2 ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟
⎝ 14.01gN ⎠
= 3.545g sample 16. Blood hemoglobin contains 0.342% Fe. If each formula unit of hemoglobin
contains 4 Fe2+ ions, what is the formula weight of hemoglobin?

The mass of 4 Fe represents 0.342 percent of the molecular weight of hemoglobin.

⎛ 100 u hemoglobin ⎞
? MWhemoglobin = 4(55.85)u Fe⎜ ⎟ = 6,5320 u
⎝ 0.342 u Fe ⎠

17. Chlorophyll a, the green coloring matter of plants contains 2.72% of Mg. if
each formula unit of chlorophyll a has one Mg2+ ion, what is the formula
weight of chlorophyll a?

⎛ 100 u chlorophyll a ⎞
?MWchorophyll a = 24.31u Mg⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ = 893 u
⎝ 2.72 u Mg ⎠

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19. In the analysis of 8.61g sample of a compound that contains chromium

18. In an analysis of 5.21g sample of a compound that contains tin and and chlorine, the chlorine in the sample was converted into AgCl.the
chlorine, the chlorine in the sample was converted into AgCl. The process process yields 20.08g AgCl. What is the empirical formula of the chloride
yields 11.47 g of AgCl. What is the empirical formula of the chloride of tin? of chromium?
⎛ 34.45g Cl ⎞⎛ 1 mol Cl ⎞
? mol Cl = 20.08g AgCl⎜⎜ ⎟⎟⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ = 0.1401 mol Cl
⎛ 35.45g Cl ⎞ ⎝ 143.32g AgCl ⎠⎝ 34.45g Cl ⎠
? g Cl = 11.47g AgCl⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ = 2.837g Cl
⎝ 143.32 g AgCl ⎠ ⎛ 1 mol Cr ⎞
? g Sn = 5.21 - 2.837 = 2.373g Sn ? mol Cr = 3.6462g Cr ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ = 0.07006 mol Cr
⎝ 52.00g Cr ⎠
Empirical formula is CrCl2
⎛ 1 mol Cl ⎞
? mol Cl  =  2.837g Cl  ⎜ ⎟ =  8.000 x 10‐2 20. An element, X, forms a compound with nitrogen for which the formula is
⎝ 35.45g Cl ⎠ X3N. If 40.21% of the compound is nitrogen, what is the atomic weight of
⎛ 1 mol Sn ⎞ X?
? mol Sn  =  2.373g Sn  ⎜ ⎟   =  1.999 x 10‐2
⎝ 118.71 g Sn ⎠ ⎛ 100g X 3N ⎞
?MWX3N = 14.01g N⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ = 34.84gX 3N
⎝ 40.21g N ⎠
8.000 x 10‐2 3X = 34.84u - 14.01u = 20.83u
Cl  =     =  4 X = 6.944 u
1.999 x 10‐2
1.999 x 10‐2
Sn  =     =  1 21. An element, X, forms a compound with carbon for which the formula is
1.999 x 10‐2 XC2. If 37.38% of the compound is carbon, what is the atomic weight of
X?
Empirical formula is SnCl4
⎛ 100g XC 2 ⎞
?MWXC2 = 24.02g C⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ = 64.26gXC 2
⎝ 37.38g C ⎠
X = 64.26u - 24.02u = 40.24u

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