What is the percentage by mass of ammonium nitrate?

1 Answer
anor277
Sep 5, 2016

This is the percentage by mass of a component of a material with respect to the molar mass of that material.

Explanation:

The molar mass of #"ammonium nitrate"# is #80.04*g*mol^-1#.

#"% nitrogen"# #=# #"Mass of nitrogen"/"Mass of ammonium nitrate"xx100%#

Now, using a mole of ammonium nitrate:

#"% nitrogen"# #=# #(2xx14.10*cancelg*cancel(mol^-1))/(80.04*cancelg*cancel(mol^-1))xx100%# #=# #35.2%#

#"% oxygen"# #=# #(3xx16.00*cancelg*cancel(mol^-1))/(80.04*cancelg*cancel(mol^-1))xx100%# #=# #60.0%#

And of course #%" hydrogen"# #=# #100%-%N-%O#. Why?

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