Final answer:
In this case, the molecular formula of tetrodotoxin is C,N,H₃O.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine the empirical formula of tetrodotoxin, we need to calculate the ratio of the number of atoms in the compound.
Given the percentage composition by mass, we can assume a 100g sample of tetrodotoxin. From the given percentages, we can calculate the mass of each element in the sample:
- Carbon (C): (41.38% * 100g) = 41.38g
- Nitrogen (N): (13.16% * 100g) = 13.16g
- Hydrogen (H): (5.37% * 100g) = 5.37g
Next, we need to convert the masses to moles by dividing them by the atomic masses:
- Carbon (C): 41.38g / 12.01g/mol = 3.448 moles
- Nitrogen (N): 13.16g / 14.01g/mol = 0.939 moles
- Hydrogen (H): 5.37g / 1.008g/mol = 5.33 moles
To find the simplest whole number ratio of atoms, we divide the moles by the smallest mole value (in this case, nitrogen):
- Carbon (C): 3.448 moles / 0.939 moles ≈ 3.67
- Nitrogen (N): 0.939 moles / 0.939 moles = 1
- Hydrogen (H): 5.33 moles / 0.939 moles ≈ 5.68
Rounding these values to the nearest whole number, we find the empirical formula of tetrodotoxin is C₄N₂H₆O.
To determine the molecular formula of tetrodotoxin, we need the molar mass of the compound. Given that three molecules of tetrodotoxin have a mass of 1.59×10⁻²¹g, we can calculate the molar mass:
- Molar mass = mass / number of molecules
- Molar mass = (1.59×10⁻²¹ g) / (3 molecules)
Next, we need to convert the molar mass to grams per mole (g/mol):
- Molar mass = (1.59×10⁻²¹ g) / (3 molecules) * (6.022×10²³molecules/mol)
- Molar mass ≈ 3.17 g/mol
Dividing the molar mass by the empirical formula mass (116.12 g/mol) gives us the multiple of the empirical formula:
- Multiple = molar mass / empirical formula mass
- Multiple = 3.17 g/mol / 116.12 g/mol
- Multiple ≈ 0.0273
To find the molecular formula, we multiply the subscripts of the empirical formula by the multiple:
C₄N₂H₆O. * 0.0273 ≈ C0.1092N0.0546H0.1638O0.0273
Rounding these values to the nearest whole number, we find the molecular formula of tetrodotoxin is C,N,H₃O.
Your question is incomplete, but most probably the full question was:
Tetrodotoxin is a toxic chemical found in fugu pufferfish, a popular but rare delicacy in Japan. This compound has an`L D (the amount of substance that is le`thal to 50% of a population sample) of 10. jpg per kg of body mass. Tetrodotoxin is 41.38% carbon by mass, 13 16% nitrogen by mass, and 5.37% hydrogen by mass, with the remaining amount consisting of oxygen
If three molecules of tetrodotoxin have a mass of 1.59 x 10g, what is the molecular formula of tetrodotoxin?