Answer:
the molecular formula for the gas is NO₂
Explanation:
since it contains
Nitrogen = n → 30.45%
Oxygen = o → 69.55%
and 30.45%+69.55% = 100% , then the gas only contains nitrogen and oxygen
Also we know that the proportion of oxygen over nitrogen is
proportion of oxygen over nitrogen = moles of oxygen / moles of nitrogen
since
moles = mass / molecular weight
then for a sample of 100 gr of the unknown gas
mass of oxygen = 69.55%*100 gr = 69.55 gr
mass of Nitrogen = 30.45%*100 gr = 30.45 gr
proportion of oxygen over nitrogen = (mass of oxygen/ molecular weight)/(mass of nitrogen / molecular weight of nitrogen ) = (69.55 gr/ 16 gr/mol) /( 30.45 gr /14 gr/mol) = 1.998 mol of O/ mol of N≈ 2 mol of O/ mol of N
therefore there are 2 atoms of oxygen per atom of nitrogen
thus the molecular formula for the gas is:
NO₂
