Give the empirical formula of each of the following compounds if a sample contains b.11.66 g iron and 5.01 g oxygen

Verified step by step guidance

1. Determine the number of moles of each element in the compound. Use the molar mass of iron (Fe), which is approximately 55.85 g/mol, and the molar mass of oxygen (O), which is approximately 16.00 g/mol.
2. Calculate the moles of iron: \( \text{moles of Fe} = \frac{11.66 \text{ g}}{55.85 \text{ g/mol}} \).
3. Calculate the moles of oxygen: \( \text{moles of O} = \frac{5.01 \text{ g}}{16.00 \text{ g/mol}} \).
4. Determine the simplest whole number ratio of moles of iron to moles of oxygen by dividing each by the smallest number of moles calculated.
5. Write the empirical formula based on the simplest whole number ratio obtained in the previous step.

Key Concepts

Empirical Formula

The empirical formula of a compound represents the simplest whole-number ratio of the elements present in that compound. It is derived from the mass of each element in a sample and is crucial for understanding the composition of the substance. For example, if a compound contains 1 mole of iron and 1 mole of oxygen, its empirical formula would be FeO.

Molar Mass

Molar mass is the mass of one mole of a substance, typically expressed in grams per mole (g/mol). It is essential for converting the mass of elements in a sample to moles, which allows for the determination of the ratio of elements in the empirical formula. For iron (Fe), the molar mass is approximately 55.85 g/mol, and for oxygen (O), it is about 16.00 g/mol.

Stoichiometry

Stoichiometry is the branch of chemistry that deals with the quantitative relationships between the reactants and products in a chemical reaction. It involves using the mole concept and molar masses to calculate the amounts of substances involved. In this context, stoichiometry helps in determining the number of moles of iron and oxygen from their given masses, which is necessary for finding the empirical formula.