Question

(Thank you and please explain!) Here are two questions:

"The most common form of nylon (nylon-6) is 63.68% carbon, 12.38% nitrogen, 9.8% hydrogen, and 14.14% oxygen. Calculate the empirical formula for nylon-6."


"There are two binary compounds of mercury and oxygen. Heating either of them results in the decomposition of the compound, with oxygen gas escaping into the atmosphere while leaving a residue of pure mercury. Heating 0.6498 g of one of the compounds leaves a residue of 0.6018 g. Heating 4.172 g of the other compound results in a mass loss of 0.016 g. Determine the empirical formula of each compound."

THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP!

Answer 1

The answer for the first problem is: C₆N₁H₁₁O₁ or C₆NH₁₁O

Step-by-step explanation:

Nylon composition: Mass Divide by the atomic mass

Carbon 63.68 % 63.68 g 63.68/ 12 = 5.3

Nitrogen 12.38 % 12.38 g 12.38/14 = 0.88

Hydrogen 9.8% 9.8 g 9.8/1 = 9.8

Oxygen 14.14% 14.14 g 14.14/16 = 0.88

We choose the lowest number that is 0.88 for nitrogen and oxygen and divide the four results by this number

Carbon 5.3/0.88 = 6

Nitrogen 0.88/0.88 = 1

Hydrogen 9.8/0.88 = 11.1 = 11

Oxygen 0.88/ 0.88 = 1

Then the empirical formula has this coefficients

C₆N₁H₁₁O₁ or C₆NH₁₁O