Final answer:
To determine how many grams of potassium would form from 0.538g of KHCO₃, one must know the particular reaction it is involved in. Assuming it decomposes into K₂O, calculating the percentage of K in KHCO₃ based on molar masses would provide the answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
If you started with 0.538g of KHCO₃ (potassium bicarbonate), the number of grams of K (potassium) that should form will depend on the stoichiometry of the chemical reaction that KHCO₃ is undergoing. However, the question does not provide a specific reaction for KHCO₃. If we assume that the reaction only involves the decomposition of KHCO₃ into K₂O (potassium oxide), and CO₂ (carbon dioxide) and H₂O (water) are released, the grams of K can be calculated by determining the potassium content in KHCO₃. This is done using the molar masses of KHCO₃ and K, and the formula:
KHCO₃ ---> K + other products
To calculate the amount of K that forms, we first find the molar mass of KHCO₃:
Molar mass of KHCO₃ = Molar mass of K + Molar mass of H + Molar mass of C + 3 × Molar mass of O
The molar mass of K is approximately 39.10 g/mol. We then calculate the percentage of the molar mass of K in relation to the molar mass of KHCO₃. Using this percentage, we can find out how many grams of potassium (K) are in 0.538g of KHCO₃.