Final answer:
To find the formula of a hydrate composed of 85.3% barium chloride and 14.7% water, we calculate the molar mass of both compounds, and then determine the molar ratio of barium chloride to water. The simplest whole number ratio gives us the empirical formula of the hydrate, including the number of water molecules associated with each formula unit of barium chloride.
Step-by-step explanation:
The formula and name of a hydrate that is 85.3% barium chloride and 14.7% water can be determined using stoichiometric calculations. First, one needs to understand that a hydrate is an ionic compound that includes water molecules directly attached to its crystal lattice. The general formula for a hydrate is expressed as XYZ·nH₂O, where XYZ is the ionic compound, and n represents the number of water molecules per formula unit.
In order to find the formula of the hydrate of barium chloride, we need to calculate the molar mass of barium chloride (BaCl₂) and water (H₂O). The molar mass of BaCl₂ is approximately 208.23 g/mol and for H₂O it's about 18.015 g/mol. Since the hydrate consists of 85.3% BaCl₂, we can infer that 100 g of the hydrate would contain 85.3 g of BaCl₂ and 14.7 g of H₂O. We can then calculate the molar ratio of BaCl₂ to H₂O and find the simplest whole number ratio to determine the formula of the hydrate. Using this method, the name and formula of the hydrate would reflect the stoichiometry of barium chloride to water in the compound.