Final answer:
The method for calculating formula mass involves checking the periodic table for atomic masses, counting the number of each type of atom in the formula, multiplying the number of atoms by their atomic mass, and adding up the masses for all the elements.
Step-by-step explanation:
The method for calculating formula mass involves the following steps:
- Check the periodic table for the atomic masses of each atom in the formula.
- Count the number of each type of atom in the formula.
- Multiply the number of atoms by the atomic mass for each element.
- Add up the masses for all of the elements.
For example, if we have the formula H2O, we would determine the atomic mass of hydrogen and oxygen and multiply their respective numbers (2 for hydrogen, 1 for oxygen) by their atomic masses. Finally, we would add the two values together to get the formula mass of water.