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Ch.3 - Chemical Reactions and Reaction Stoichiometry
Chapter 3, Problem 25f

Calculate the percentage by mass of oxygen in the following compounds: f. vancomycin, C66H75Cl2N9O24

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Step 1: Calculate the molar mass of the compound. The molar mass of a compound is the sum of the molar masses of its constituent elements. For vancomycin, C66H75Cl2N9O24, the molar mass is calculated as follows: (66 * molar mass of Carbon) + (75 * molar mass of Hydrogen) + (2 * molar mass of Chlorine) + (9 * molar mass of Nitrogen) + (24 * molar mass of Oxygen).
Step 2: Calculate the total molar mass contributed by Oxygen in the compound. This is done by multiplying the number of Oxygen atoms in the compound by the molar mass of Oxygen. In this case, it would be 24 * molar mass of Oxygen.
Step 3: Calculate the percentage by mass of Oxygen in the compound. This is done by dividing the total molar mass contributed by Oxygen (from Step 2) by the molar mass of the compound (from Step 1), and then multiplying the result by 100 to get the percentage.
Step 4: The result from Step 3 is the percentage by mass of Oxygen in vancomycin.

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Key Concepts

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

Molar Mass Calculation

Molar mass is the mass of one mole of a substance, calculated by summing the atomic masses of all atoms in its chemical formula. For vancomycin, C66H75Cl2N9O24, the molar mass is determined by multiplying the number of each type of atom by its respective atomic mass and adding these values together. This total is essential for calculating the percentage by mass of any element within the compound.
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Percentage by Mass

Percentage by mass is a way to express the concentration of an element in a compound, calculated using the formula: (mass of the element in the compound / molar mass of the compound) × 100%. This calculation allows chemists to understand the composition of compounds and is particularly useful in stoichiometry and chemical analysis.
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Chemical Formula Interpretation

A chemical formula provides information about the types and numbers of atoms in a molecule. In the case of vancomycin, the formula C66H75Cl2N9O24 indicates the presence of carbon, hydrogen, chlorine, nitrogen, and oxygen atoms. Understanding how to interpret this formula is crucial for identifying the specific contributions of each element to the overall mass of the compound.
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