Question

A 2.540 g sample of an oxide of tin was heated in the air until the mass of the sample no longer changed, and 2.842 g of tin (IV) oxide (SnO2) was obtained as a result of the heating. What is the mass percent of tin in SnO2?

Answer 1

The mass percent of tin in tin (IV) oxide (SnO2) can be calculated using the molar masses of tin and SnO2. It is found to be 78.78%.

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the mass percent of tin in tin (IV) oxide (SnO2), we must first know the molar mass of SnO2 and the molar mass of tin (Sn). The molar mass of Sn is 118.7 g/mol, and the molar mass of oxygen (O) is 16.00 g/mol. Therefore, the molar mass of SnO2 is 118.7 g/mol for Sn plus 2 × 16.00 g/mol for O, which equals 150.7 g/mol for SnO2. The mass of tin in the compound can be calculated by subtracting the mass contribution of oxygen from the total mass of SnO2.

To find the percent composition of tin in SnO2, use the following formula:

Mass percent of tin = (mass of tin in SnO2 / mass of SnO2) × 100%

Giving us: Mass percent of tin = (118.7 g/mol / 150.7 g/mol) × 100% = 78.78%

Therefore, the mass percent of tin in tin (IV) oxide (SnO2) is 78.78%.