Question

What is the percent composition by mass of oxygen in Ca(NO3)2 (gram-formula= 164 g/mol)?

Answer 1

To find this, we will use this formula:

Molar mass of element
------------------------------------ x 100
Molar mass of compound

So, first lets calculate the mass of the compound as a whole. We use the atomic masses on the periodic table to determine this.

Ca: 40.078 g/mol
N2 (there is two nitrogens): 28.014 g/mol
O6 (there are six nitrogens: 3 times 2): 95.994 g/mol

When we add all of those numbers up together, we get 164.086. That is the molar mass for the whole compound. However, we are trying to figure out what percent of the compound oxygen makes up. From the molar mass, we know that 95.994 of the 164.086 is oxygen. Lets plug those numbers into our equation!

95.994
-----------
164.086

When we divide those two numbers, we get .585. When we multiply that by 100, we get 58.5.

So, the percent compostition of oxygen in Ca(NO3)2, or, calcium nitrate, is 58.5%.