Question

[25 pts] When a 14.2g sample of a compound containing only mercury and oxygen is decomposed, 13.2g of Hg is obtained. What is the percent composition of this compound?

% Hg=
% O=
EXPLAIN (in words) how you got your answers:


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Answer 1

% composition of Hg = 93 %

% composition of O = 7 %

Step-by-step explanation:

Data Given:

mass of total sample = 14.2 g

mass of mercury (Hg) = 13.2 g

percent composition of Hg =

percent composition of O =

Solution:

First find mass of oxygen

As this compound only have two components that is oxygen and mercury

So

upon decomposition it gives 13.2 g mercury

now to find mass of oxygen we have to subtract mass of mercury from total mass of sample

Mass of oxygen = Total mass of sample - mass of Mercury

Mass of oxygen = 14.2 g - 13.2 g

Mass of oxygen = 1 g

Now to find percent composition of Hg and Oxygen

% composition = component mass / total mass of sample x 100. . . .(1)

For % composition of mercury Hg

Put values in equation 1

% composition of Hg = 13.2 g / 14.2 g x 100

% composition of Hg = 93%

For % composition Oxygen (O)

Put values in equation 1

% composition of O = 1 g / 14.2 g x 100

% composition of O = 7 %