Question

A compound has the following percentages by mass: barium, 58.8%; sulfur, 13.74%; oxygen, 27.43%. Determine the empirical formula.​

Answer 1

BaSO₄

Step-by-step explanation:

Let's assume we have 100 g of the compound. If that's the case we would have:

• 58.8 g of Ba

• 13.74 g of S

• 27.43 g of O

Now we convert the masses of each element into moles, using their respective molar masses:

• 58.8 g Ba ÷ 137.327 g/mol = 0.428 mol Ba

• 13.74 g S ÷ 32 g/mol = 0.429 mol S

• 27.43 g O ÷ 16 g/mol = 1.71 mol O

We divide those moles by the lowest number among them:

• 0.428 mol Ba / 0.428 = 1

• 0.429 mol S / 0.428 ≈ 1

• 1.71 mol O / 0.428 = 4

We can express those results as Ba₁S₁O₄, meaning the empirical formula is thus BaSO₄.