Right method, except the original compound is an oxide of mercury, not magnesium, HgxOy. That's why you got such a large ratio of "Mg" to O, because the atomic weight of magnesium is so much less than that of mercury. X and Y are the simplest whole numbers of moles of mercury atoms relative to oxygen atoms, so if you calculate the moles of O2 molecules that are produced (as you did, dividing the mass of oxygen by 32.00 g/mol) don't forget to multiply this result by 2 mol O / mol O2. Or, you can just divide the mass of oxygen formed by the atomic weight of oxygen, 16.00 g/mol, to get the moles of oxygen atoms. It is true that O2 molecules are actually formed, but it is the moles of O atoms that we need for the purpose of determining the empirical formula.
Steve
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