Final answer:
To calculate percent composition, divide the mass of each element by the total mass of the compound and multiply by 100%. This allows conversion of percentages to moles, leading to the empirical formula showing the simplest whole-number ratio of elements in a compound.
Step-by-step explanation:
Percent composition is vital in calculating the empirical formula of a compound, which represents the simplest whole-number ratio of elements within that compound. To calculate percent composition, you take the mass of each element in the compound and divide it by the total mass of the compound, then multiply by 100%. This process provides you with the percentage of each element in terms of mass.
Once the percent composition is known, one can derive the empirical formula by converting the mass percentages into moles using the atomic masses of each element. This conversion is based on the fact that, in 100 grams of the compound, the percent composition indicates exactly how many grams of each element are present. By dividing these masses by the respective atomic masses of the elements, you can obtain the number of moles of each element, which can be used to find their simplest ratio by dividing by the smallest number of moles obtained.
The determination of the empirical formula from percent composition is fundamental as it gives us vital information about the elemental constitution of a compound, which is essential for understanding chemical properties and reactions.