Here, we use the mole as we would use any other collective number: a dozen eggs; a Bakers' dozen; a Botany Bay dozen.
Of course, the mole specifies a much larger quantity, and if I have a mole of stuff then I have
6.022
×
10
23
individual items of that stuff. We can also specify an equivalent mass, because we also know the mass of a mole of iron, and a mole of oxygen etc........The mole is thus the link between the macro world of grams and kilograms and litres, that which we can measure out in the lab, to the micro world of atoms, and molecules, that which we can perceive only indirectly.
Here we have the formula unit
F
e
2
(
S
O
4
)
3
. If there is a mole of formula units, there are necessarily 2 moles of iron atoms, 3 sulfate ions,.......etc.
Answer:
C₆H₈O₆
Explanation:
First off, the<u> percent of oxygen by mass</u> of vitamin C is:
- 100 - (40.9+4.58) = 54.52 %
<em>Assume we have one mol of vitamin C</em>. Then we would have <em>180 grams</em>, of which:
- 180 * 40.9/100 = 73.62 grams are of Carbon
- 180 * 4.58/100 = 8.224 grams are of Hydrogen
- 180 * 54.52/100 = 98.136 grams are of Oxygen
Now we <u>convert each of those masses to moles</u>, using the <em>elements' respective atomic mass</em>:
- C ⇒ 73.62 g ÷ 12 g/mol = 6.135 mol C ≅ 6 mol C
- H ⇒ 8.224 g ÷ 1 g/mol = 8.224 mol H ≅ 8 mol H
- O ⇒ 98.136 g ÷ 16 g/mol = 6.134 mol O ≅ 6 mol O
So the molecular formula for vitamin C is C₆H₈O₆
