Question

What is the maximum mass of pure silver that could be extracted from 80.0 g of argentite, a silver ore with the chemical formula Ag₂S?

Be sure your answer has a unit symbol, if necessary, and is rounded to 3 significant digits.

Answer 1

69.647g Ag

Step-by-step explanation:

First, determine the molecular weight of
`Ag_2S`:

Atomic Mass Ag = 107.87
`(g)/(mol)`

Atomic Mass S = 32.07
`(g)/(mol)`

So,

Molecular Weight
`Ag_2S` = 2(107.87
`(g)/(mol)`)+(32.07
`(g)/(mol)`)

Molecular Weight
`Ag_2S`=247.81
`(g)/(mol)`

Then determine the mass of silver contained in the sample:

`80.0gAg_2S((1molAg_2S)/(247.81g))((2molAg)/(1molAg_2S))((107.87gAg)/(1molAg))=69.647gAg`

This answer makes sense because the mass of silver in the compound must be less than the total mass of the compound.