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Ch.3 - Molecules and Compounds
Chapter 3, Problem 25e

Calculate the percentage by mass of oxygen in the following compounds: e. digitoxin, C41H64O13

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Identify the molecular formula of digitoxin: \( \text{C}_{41}\text{H}_{64}\text{O}_{13} \).
Calculate the molar mass of each element in the compound: Carbon (C), Hydrogen (H), and Oxygen (O).
Determine the total molar mass of digitoxin by summing the molar masses of all atoms in the formula.
Calculate the total mass of oxygen in the compound by multiplying the molar mass of oxygen by the number of oxygen atoms (13).
Find the percentage by mass of oxygen by dividing the total mass of oxygen by the total molar mass of digitoxin and multiplying by 100.

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Key Concepts

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

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 chemical formula. For digitoxin (C41H64O13), the molar mass is determined by adding the contributions from carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms based on their respective quantities in the formula.
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Percentage by Mass

Percentage by mass is a way to express the concentration of a particular element in a compound. It is calculated by dividing the mass of the element in one mole of the compound by the total molar mass of the compound, then multiplying by 100. This calculation helps in understanding the composition of compounds and is essential for stoichiometric calculations in chemistry.
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Chemical Formula Interpretation

Interpreting a chemical formula involves understanding the types and numbers of atoms present in a compound. In digitoxin's formula, C41H64O13 indicates that there are 41 carbon atoms, 64 hydrogen atoms, and 13 oxygen atoms. This information is crucial for calculating molar mass and subsequently determining the percentage by mass of each element in the compound.
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