Final answer:
The formula mass of aluminum sulfate, Al2(SO4)3, is calculated by multiplying the number of each type of atom by their respective atomic mass and summing them up, resulting in a formula mass of 342.14 amu.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the formula mass of aluminum sulfate, Al2(SO4)3, we consider the atomic masses of aluminum (Al), sulfur (S), and oxygen (O). The formula Al2(SO4)3 can be written in a simpler form as Al2S3O12, which indicates there are 2 aluminum atoms, 3 sulfur atoms, and 12 oxygen atoms in one formula unit of the compound.
Using the periodic table, we find the atomic masses for the elements: Al (approximately 26.98 amu), S (approximately 32.06 amu), and O (approximately 16.00 amu). So, the formula mass is calculated as follows:
Adding these sums together yields a total formula mass:
53.96 amu (Al) + 96.18 amu (S) + 192.00 amu (O) = 342.14 amu for aluminum sulfate.