Final answer:
The percent of sulfur in Al2(SO4)3 is 28.13%.
Step-by-step explanation:
The formula for the compound Al2(SO4)3 indicates that it contains Al³+ and SO4²- ions combined in a 2:3 ratio. To calculate the percent of sulfur in the compound, we need to determine the mass of sulfur in relation to the formula mass of the entire compound.
First, we need to calculate the formula mass of Al2(SO4)3. The formula mass is the sum of the atomic masses of all the elements present in the compound. In Al2(SO4)3, the atomic mass of aluminum (Al) is 26.98 g/mol, the atomic mass of sulfur (S) is 32.07 g/mol, and the atomic mass of oxygen (O) is 16.00 g/mol.
The formula mass of Al2(SO4)3 = 2(26.98) + 3(32.07 + 4(16.00)) = 342.14 g/mol
Next, we need to calculate the mass of sulfur in the compound. In Al2(SO4)3, there are 3 sulfur atoms. The mass of sulfur in Al2(SO4)3 = 3(32.07) = 96.21 g
Finally, we can calculate the percent of sulfur in Al2(SO4)3 using the equation:
Percent of sulfur = (mass of sulfur / formula mass of compound) x 100
Percent of sulfur = (96.21 / 342.14) x 100 = 28.13%