Answer:
Step-by-step explanation:
If some of the weighted unknown was lost during the process of adding it to the naphthalene, it would affect the accuracy of the calculated molecular weight. The loss of some of the weighted unknown would result in a smaller mass being added to the naphthalene than what was intended, leading to an underestimation of the molecular weight.
To calculate the molecular weight of the unknown, the mass of the unknown is divided by the mass of the naphthalene that was used, and the result is multiplied by the molecular weight of naphthalene. If some of the unknown was lost, the mass of the unknown that was actually added to the naphthalene would be less than the measured mass of the unknown. As a result, the calculated molecular weight would be smaller than the actual molecular weight of the unknown.
For example, suppose that the measured mass of the unknown was 2 grams, but 0.5 grams were lost during the process of adding it to the naphthalene. If the mass of naphthalene used was 10 grams, the mass of the unknown added to the naphthalene would be 1.5 grams (2 grams - 0.5 grams). If the actual molecular weight of the unknown was 100 g/mol, the calculated molecular weight using the formula would be:
Molecular weight of unknown = (1.5 grams / 10 grams) x 128 g/mol (the molecular weight of naphthalene)
Molecular weight of unknown = 19.2 g/mol
However, the actual molecular weight of the unknown is 100 g/mol, and the loss of some of the unknown resulted in an underestimation of the molecular weight. Therefore, it is important to be as accurate as possible when measuring the mass of the unknown to obtain the most accurate molecular weight calculation.