Question

Sulfur and oxygen form both sulfur dioxide and sulfur trioxide. When samples of these are decomposed, the sulfur dioxide produces 3.46 g oxygen and 3.47 g sulfur, while the sulfur trioxide produces 8.25 g oxygen and 5.50 g sulfur. A) Calculate the mass of oxygen per gram of sulfur for sulfur dioxide.
B) Calculate the mass of oxygen per gram of sulfur for sulfur trioxide.

Answer 1

Answer:

For A: The mass of oxygen per gram of sulfur for sulfur dioxide is 0.997 g

For B: The mass of oxygen per gram of sulfur for sulfur trioxide is 1.5 g

Explanation:

• For A:

The chemical equation for decomposition of sulfur dioxide follows:

$SO_2\rigtarrow S+O_2$

We are given:

Mass of sulfur = 3.47 g

Mass of oxygen = 3.46 g

To calculate the mass of oxygen per gram of sulfur, we apply unitary method:

For every 3.47 g of sulfur, 3.46 g of oxygen will form.

So, for 1 gram of sulfur, $\frac{3.46g}{3.47g}\times 1g=0.997g$ of oxygen will form.

Hence, the mass of oxygen per gram of sulfur for sulfur dioxide is 0.997 g

• For B:

The chemical equation for decomposition of sulfur trioxide follows:

$2SO_3\rigtarrow 2S+3O_2$

We are given:

Mass of sulfur = 5.50 g

Mass of oxygen = 8.25 g

To calculate the mass of oxygen per gram of sulfur, we apply unitary method:

For every 5.50 g of sulfur, 8.25 g of oxygen will form.

So, for 1 gram of sulfur, $\frac{8.25g}{5.50g}\times 1g=1.5g$ of oxygen will form.

Hence, the mass of oxygen per gram of sulfur for sulfur trioxide is 1.5 g