An analysis of 5.0 grams of a sample of a compound is found to contain 1.6 percent hydrogen (H), 22.2 percent nitrogen (N), and 76.2 percent oxygen (O). Determine the empirical formula of the compound.

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Kaiser

Chemistry

8 April, 21:13

An analysis of 5.0 grams of a sample of a compound is found to contain 1.6 percent hydrogen (H), 22.2 percent nitrogen (N), and 76.2 percent oxygen (O). Determine the empirical formula of the compound.

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Ms. Congeniality · Answer 1

We are given with the mass percentage of the elements. Taking a 100-gram basis, we convert the mass of the reactants to moles. Hydrogen is equal to 1.6 moles, nitrogen is equal to 1.3058 and oxygen is equal to 4.7625 moles. We divide each number to the least amount. Hence H is 1.22, N is 1.00 and O is 3.65. Answer is HNO3, nitric acid.