Calculate the mass percent composition of nitrogen in each nitrogen-containing compound. c. NO₂

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Determine the molar mass of each element in the compound. Nitrogen (N) has a molar mass of approximately 14.01 g/mol and Oxygen (O) has a molar mass of approximately 16.00 g/mol.
2. Step 2: Calculate the molar mass of the compound. The formula NO2 means there is one nitrogen atom and two oxygen atoms. So, the molar mass of NO2 is (1 * molar mass of N) + (2 * molar mass of O).
3. Step 3: Calculate the mass percent composition of nitrogen. The mass percent composition is calculated by dividing the molar mass of nitrogen in the compound by the molar mass of the compound, then multiplying by 100% to get the percentage.
4. Step 4: Substitute the values into the formula. The molar mass of nitrogen is 14.01 g/mol and the molar mass of the compound was calculated in step 2.
5. Step 5: After substituting the values into the formula, calculate the mass percent composition of nitrogen in NO2.

Key Concepts

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 the atoms in a molecule. For example, in nitrogen dioxide (NO2), the molar mass is derived from one nitrogen atom and two oxygen atoms, which is essential for determining the mass percent composition.

Mass Percent Composition

Mass percent composition is a way to express the concentration of an element in a compound as a percentage of the total mass of that compound. It is calculated using the formula: (mass of the element in the compound / total mass of the compound) x 100%. This concept is crucial for understanding how much of a compound's mass is contributed by a specific element, such as nitrogen in NO2.

Chemical Formula

A chemical formula represents the types and numbers of atoms in a molecule. For nitrogen dioxide (NO2), the formula indicates one nitrogen atom and two oxygen atoms. Understanding the chemical formula is vital for calculating both the molar mass and the mass percent composition, as it provides the necessary information about the elements involved in the compound.