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Ch.10 - Gases
Chapter 10, Problem 72a1

(a) What are the mole fractions of O2 in a mixture of 15.08 g of O2, 8.17 g of N2, and 2.64 g of H2?

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Calculate the number of moles of each gas using their respective molar masses: O_2 (32.00 \text{ g/mol}), N_2 (28.02 \text{ g/mol}), and H_2 (2.02 \text{ g/mol}).
Find the total number of moles in the mixture by summing the moles of O_2, N_2, and H_2.
Determine the mole fraction of O_2 by dividing the moles of O_2 by the total moles in the mixture.
Express the mole fraction of O_2 as a decimal.
Ensure that the sum of the mole fractions of all gases in the mixture equals 1 as a check for accuracy.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Mole Concept

The mole concept is a fundamental principle in chemistry that relates the mass of a substance to the number of particles it contains. One mole of any substance contains Avogadro's number (approximately 6.022 x 10²³) of entities, whether they are atoms, molecules, or ions. This concept is essential for converting grams of a substance to moles, which is necessary for calculating mole fractions.
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Mole Fraction

Mole fraction is a way of expressing the concentration of a component in a mixture. It is defined as the ratio of the number of moles of a specific component to the total number of moles of all components in the mixture. Mole fractions are dimensionless and provide a useful means of comparing the relative amounts of different substances in a mixture.
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Calculating Molar Mass

Molar mass is the mass of one mole of a substance, typically expressed in grams per mole (g/mol). It is calculated by summing the atomic masses of all atoms in a molecule. Knowing the molar mass of each gas in the mixture is crucial for converting the given masses of O₂, N₂, and H₂ into moles, which is a necessary step for determining their mole fractions.
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