Final answer:
To calculate the percent composition of propane (C3H8), determine the mass of each element in one mole of the compound. Divide the mass of each element by the molar mass of the compound and multiply by 100% to find the percent composition.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the percent composition of propane (C3H8), we need to determine the mass of each element in one mole of the compound. The molar mass of carbon (C) is 12.01 g/mol and the molar mass of hydrogen (H) is 1.01 g/mol.
For carbon: (3 mol C) x (12.01 g/mol) = 36.03 g of carbon
For hydrogen: (8 mol H) x (1.01 g/mol) = 8.08 g of hydrogen
To find the percent composition, divide the mass of each element by the molar mass of the compound and multiply by 100%.