How do you calculate the percent composition by mass of #O# in picric acid (#C_6H_3N_3O_7#)?

Question

2648 views around the world

You can reuse this answer
Creative Commons License

Answer 1 · 2016-12-29T21:41:07

Since one mole of picric acid contains seven moles of oxygen atoms, this accounts for 48.9% of the total mass.

Start by determining the molar mass of picric acid = 229 g

Next, noting that the molecule contains seven oxygen atoms, we can reason that one mole of picric acid must contain seven moles of oxygen atoms.

Find the mass of 7 moles of #O# = 112 g.

Now, since 112 g out of the total mass of 229 g of picric acid is due to oxygen, express this as a percentage:

#112g/(229g) xx 100 = 48.9%#

That's it! (You can of course, repeat this process for as many elements as you need in the formula.)

Answer 2 · 2016-12-29T21:50:08

Approx. #49%# by mass......................

#%O# #=# #"Mass of oxygen"/"Molecular mass of picric acid"#

#=(7xx15.999*g*mol^-1)/(229.10*g*mol^-1)xx100%# #=??%#