Tartaric acid is the white, powdery substance that coats tart candies such as Sour Patch Kids. Combustion analysis of a 12.01-g sample of tartaric acid—which contains only carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen—produces 14.08 g CO2 and 4.32 g H2O. Determine the empirical formula of tartaric acid.
Ch.3 - Molecules and Compounds
Chapter 3, Problem 109
How many molecules of ethanol (C2H5OH) (the alcohol in alcoholic beverages) are present in 145 mL of ethanol? The density of ethanol is 0.789 g/cm3.
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Density
Density is defined as mass per unit volume and is typically expressed in grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm³) or kilograms per liter (kg/L). In this question, the density of ethanol is given as 0.789 g/cm³, which means that each cubic centimeter of ethanol has a mass of 0.789 grams. Understanding density is crucial for converting volume measurements into mass, which is a necessary step in determining the number of molecules present.
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Molar Mass
The molar mass of a substance is the mass of one mole of that substance, expressed in grams per mole (g/mol). For ethanol (C2H5OH), the molar mass can be calculated by summing the atomic masses of its constituent atoms: carbon (C), hydrogen (H), and oxygen (O). Knowing the molar mass allows us to convert the mass of ethanol obtained from the density calculation into moles, which is essential for finding the number of molecules.
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Avogadro's Number
Avogadro's number, approximately 6.022 x 10²³, is the number of atoms, ions, or molecules in one mole of a substance. This constant is fundamental in chemistry for converting between moles and the actual number of particles. Once the number of moles of ethanol is determined from the mass, Avogadro's number can be used to calculate the total number of ethanol molecules present in the given volume.
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