Question

For many years chloroform (CHCl3) was used as an inhalation anesthetic in spite of the fact that it is also a toxic substance that may cause severe liver, kidney, and heart damage. Calculate the percent composition by mass of this compound to four significant figures.

Answer 1

SEE EXPLANATION

Step-by-step explanation:

We must first obtain the molar mass of CHCl3 as follows;

CHCl3 = ( 12.01 * 1 )+ (1.008 * 1 ) + ( 35.45 * 3 ) => 119.37 g/mol

Then we obtain the percentage by mass of each element

For Carbon = ( atomic mass C / molar mass CHCl3 ) * 100

C = (12.01 / 119.37 ) * 100

C = ( 0.1006 * 100 )

C = 10.06 %

For Hydrogen :

H = ( atomic mass H / molar mass CHCl3 ) * 100

H = ( 1.008 / 119.37 ) * 100

H = 0.008444 * 100

H = 0.8444 %

For Chlorine :

Cl ( molar mass Cl3 / molar mass CHCl3 ):

Cl = ( 3 * 35.5 / 119.37 ) * 100

Cl = ( 106.5 / 119.37 ) * 100

Cl = 0.8921 * 100

Cl = 89.92%