Question

Gaseous compound Q contains only xenon and oxygen. When a 0.100 g sample of Q is placed in a 50.0-mL steel vessel at 0 C, the pressure is 0.230 atm. What is the likely formula of the compound?

Answer 1

The question is incomplete, here is the complete question:

Gaseous compound Q contains only xenon and oxygen. When a 0.100 g sample of Q is placed in a 50.0-mL steel vessel at 0°C, the pressure is 0.230 atm. What is the likely formula of the compound?

A. XeO

B. $XeO_4$

C. $Xe_2O_2$

D. $Xe_2O_3$

E. $Xe_3O_2$

Answer: The chemical formula of the compound is $XeO_4$

Explanation:

To calculate the molecular weight of the compound, we use the equation given by ideal gas equation:

PV = nRT

Or,

$PV=\frac{w}{M}RT$

where,

P = Pressure of the gas = 0.230 atm

V = Volume of the gas  = 50.0 mL = 0.050 L     (Conversion factor:  1 L = 1000 mL)

w = Weight of the gas = 0.100 g

M = Molar mass of gas  = ?

R = Gas constant = $0.0821\text{ L atm }mol^{-1}K^{-1}$

T = Temperature of the gas = $0^oC=273K$

Putting value in above equation, we get:

$0.230\times 0.050=\frac{0.100}{M}\times 0.0821\times 273\\\\M=\frac{0.100\times 0.0821\times 273}{0.230\times 0.050}=194.9g/mol\approx 195g/mol$

The compound having mass as calculated is $XeO_4$

Hence, the chemical formula of the compound is $XeO_4$