46.2k views
3 votes
If 1.500 g of vanadium metal reacts with oxygen gas to give 2.679 g of vanadium oxide, what is the empirical formula of the product

1 Answer

5 votes

Final answer:

The empirical formula of the compound is NO2.

Step-by-step explanation:

The empirical formula of a compound can be determined using the given masses of its constituent elements. In this case, we have 0.130 g of nitrogen (N) and 0.370 g of oxygen (O).

To find the empirical formula, we first determine the moles of each element by dividing the mass of each element by its molar mass (N=14 and O=16):

N: 0.130 g / 14 g/mol = 0.00929 mol

O: 0.370 g / 16 g/mol = 0.02313 mol

Next, we divide the moles of each element by the smallest result to obtain a whole number ratio:

N: 0.00929 mol / 0.00929 mol = 1

O: 0.02313 mol / 0.00929 mol = 2.49 (rounded to 2)

Therefore, the empirical formula of the compound is NO2.

User Ezra Free
by
8.7k points