Final answer:
To determine the grams of chlorine atoms in an 88.3 g sample of BaCl2, calculate the mass percent of chlorine in BaCl2 and then apply this percentage to the sample's mass, yielding approximately 30.04 g of chlorine.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student wants to know how many grams of chlorine atoms are present in a 88.3 g sample of barium chloride (BaCl2). To find this, we need to calculate the mass percent composition of chlorine in BaCl2, and then apply this percentage to the mass of the sample.
The molar mass of BaCl2 is the sum of the molar mass of barium (Ba, approximately 137.33 g/mol) and two chlorine atoms (Cl, approximately 35.45 g/mol each). Adding these together gives a molar mass of approximately 208.23 g/mol for BaCl2. Chlorine's share of this mass is (2 × 35.45) g/mol, or approximately 70.9 g/mol.
The mass percent of chlorine in BaCl2 can be calculated as follows:
(70.9 g/mol) / (208.23 g/mol) × 100% ≈ 34.03%
To find out how many grams of chlorine atoms are in an 88.3 g sample:
88.3 g × 34.03% ≈ 30.04 g of chlorine atoms