Question

Acetic acid (HC2H3O2) is the active ingredient in vinegar. Calculate the mass percent composition of O in acetic acid.

Express the mass percent composition to four significant figures.

Answer 1

53.29% of acetic acid is Oxygen

Step-by-step explanation:

Step 1: Given data

Acetic acid it's molecular formula is HC2H3O2. This means it consists of 3 elements Carbon, Hydrogen and oxygen.

Step 2: the molar masses

The molecular mass of acetic acid is:

4* H = 4* 1.01 g/mole

2* C = 2*12 g/mole

2*O = 2* 16 g/mole

Total molar mass = 4+ 24+32 = 60.052 g/mole

Step 3: Calculate the mass percent

32 g of the 60.052 g is Oxygen

(32/60.052) *100% = 53.29%

53.29% of acetic acid is Oxygen.

Answer 2

The mass percent composition is 53.2852 %

Step-by-step explanation:

The formula used to calculate the % composition is

% composition = (mass of the element)/(total mass of the compound) × 100%

Total mass of the compound
`C_2H_4O_2`

= (12.0107 × 2) + (1.0079 × 4) + (15.999 × 2)

= 24.02140 + 4.03176 + 31.99880

= 60.05196 g

Mass of the element, O = 31.99880 g

% composition of O

= (mass of the element) / (total mass of the compound) × 100%

Plugging into the formula

% composition of O

`=\frac {31.99880g}{60.05196g} * 100  \\\\`

= 53.2852 % (Answer)