ST.

MARY’S COLLEGE OF MARINDUQUE

Boac, Marinduque

Integrated Basic Education Department

SY 2020-2021

I. Title
Subject General Chemistry 1 Quarter First Module # 3
Level 12 Duration Day
Topic The Relationship of Percent Composition and Code STEM_GC11PCIIf-32
chemical formula STEM_GC11PCIf-33

II. Objectives
1. Calculate the empirical formula from percent compound of a compound.
2. Calculate molecular formula given molar.

III. Discussion/ Broadening of Concepts

Do you know how much of an element is present in a compound? In this module, you will know
how to determine percent composition of a compound.
When a new substance is made in the laboratory, we need to determine its formula. And as we
have seen, the formula of a compound tells us the numbers of atoms of each element in a unit of the
compound. However, suppose we needed to verify the purity of a compound for use in a laboratory
experiment. We could calculate what percent of the total mass of the compound is contributed by each
element from the formula. Then, by comparing the result to the percent composition obtained
experimentally for our sample, we could determine the purity of the sample.
The percent composition is the percent by mass of each element in a compound. Percent
composition is obtained by dividing the mass of each element in 1 mole of the compound by the molar
mass of the compound and multiplying by 100%. Mathematically, the percent composition of an
element in a compound is expressed as

where n is the number of moles of the element in 1 mole of the compound. For example, in 1 mole of
hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) there are 2 moles of H atoms and 2 moles of O atoms. The molar masses of
H2O2, H, and O are 34.02 g, 1.008 g, and 16.00 g, respectively. Therefore, the percent composition of
H2O2 is calculated as follows:

The sum of the percentages is 99.99 %. The small discrepancy form 100 % is due to the way we
rounded off the molar masses of the elements. If we had used the empirical formula HO for the
calculation, we would have obtained the same percentages. This is so because both the molecular
formula and empirical formula tell us the percent composition by mass of the compound.
Percent composition allows us to know the ideal dosage or amount of substances to use. It is
applied in cooking, baking, cosmetics, medicines, paints, concrete, jewelry, cleaning solutions, etc. In
medicine, for example, using more than the recommended dosage of a certain substance may
adversely affect one’s health, as in drug overdose. In the same manner, materials may also be
damaged if applied or used with substances in excess.
Conversely, using less than the recommended percent composition may not give the desired
effect on one’s health or materials.

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Exercise 1.
1. Phosphoric acid (H3PO4) is a colorless, syrupy liquid used in detergents, fertilizers, toothpastes, and
in carbonated beverages for a “tangy” flavor. Calculate the percent composition by mass of each
element in this compound.
2. Calculate the percent composition by mass of each of the elements in
a. sulfuric acid - H2SO4.
b. aluminum hydroxide – Al(OH)3
c. Vitamin E – C29H50O2

Activity 1: Percent Composition

1. 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.
2. All of the substances listed below are fertilizers that contribute nitrogen to the soil. Which of these is
the richest source of nitrogen on a mass percentage basis? Show your computations and make a pie
graph of each fertilizer using neon paper. (Note: 1 fertilizer: 1 bond paper) Be creative!
A. Urea, (NH2)2CO
B. Ammonium nitrate, NH4NO3
C. Guanidine, HNC(NH2)2
D. Ammonia, NH3
E. Ammonium sulfate, (NH4)2 SO4

Chemists use chemical formulas to express the composition of

molecules and ionic compounds in terms of chemical symbols. By
composition we mean not only the elements present but also the ratios in
which the atoms are combined. Here we are mainly concerned with two
types of formulas: molecular formulas and empirical formulas.
The empirical formula is the simplest whole-number ratio of
atoms in the compound. Most ionic compounds are represented by
empirical formulas. Molecular formulas, the “true formula” of the
substance, indicate the actual number of atoms in one molecule.
Steps to determine the Empirical Formula
1. Convert the percent composition to an actual mass (in grams). Percent
means “part per 100.” Assume that the compound is 100 g.
2. Convert the mass of each element to mole by dividing it with the
atomic mass of the element.
3. Find the whole-number ratio of the moles of different elements by
dividing all the moles of the elements by the smallest number of moles. If
the mole ratios are not whole numbers, multiply all the mole ratios by a
number to make them whole numbers. Choose the smallest number of
mole as the divisor for all mole quantities. The quotients are whole
numbers and will be used as the subscript of each element in the
formula.
Sample Problem.
What is the EF of ascorbic acid (vitamin C), which is 40.91% C, 4.75% H,
and 54.50% O?
Step 1. In 100 grams
C: 40.91% - 40.91 g
H: 4.75% - 4.57 g
O: 54.50% - 54.50 g
Step 2.
C: 40.91 g H: 4.57 g O: 54.50 g
12.01 g/mol 1.00 g/mol 16.00 g/mol
= 3.41 mol = 4.75 mol = 3.41 mol
Step 3.
C: 3.41 mol H: 4.57 mol O: 3.41 mol
3.41 mol 3.41 mol 3.41 mol
=1x3=3 = 1.34 x 3 = 4 =1x3=3

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Therefore, the empirical formula is C3H4O3.
Exercise 2.
1. Write the EFs for the following molecules:
a. acetylene, C2H2, which is used in welding torches
b. glucose, C6H12O6, a substance known as blood sugar
c. nitrous oxide, N2O, a gas that is used as an anesthetic gas “laughing gas” and as an aerosol
propellant for whipped creams
d. caffeine, C8H10N4O2, a stimulant found in tea and coffee

2. Find the empirical formulas for each of the following substances:

a. K = 52.4%, Cl = 47.6% b. Na = 16.2%, Mn = 38.7% , O = 45.1 % c. H = 3.7%, P = 37.8%, O =
58.5%

Activity 2. Empirical Formula

1. The chemical analysis of aspirin indicates that the molecule is 60.0% carbon, 4.44 % Hydrogen, and
35.56%oxygen. Determine the empirical formula of aspirin.
2. What are the EFs of the compounds with the following compositions?
a. 40.1% C, 6.6% H and 53.5% O
b. 18.4 % C, 21.5% N and 60.1 % K.
c. 20.2% Al and 79.8% Cl.
3. What does the word “empirical” in empirical formula mean?
Steps to determine the Molecular Formula
1. Calculate the molar mass.
2. Divide the given molar mass by the empirical formula mass to determine n which is the number of
times the EF is found in the MF.
3. The subscripts of the symbols in the EF are multiplied by the value of n to determine the actual
subscripts in the MF.
Sample Problem
What is the molecular formula of a compound with a molar mass of 60.0 g/mol and an empirical formula
of CH4N?
Step 1. molar mass CH4N= 12.0 g +4.0 g = 30.0 g/mol
molar mass of compound is 60.0 g/mol
Step 2. Solve for n ,
n = 60.0 g/mol = 2
30.0 g/mol
Step 3. Multiplying the subscripts of CH4N by 2. Therefore, the molecular formula is C2H8N2 .
Exercise 3.
1. A compound contains 47. 08 % C, 6.59 % H , and 46. 33% Cl by mass. The molar mass of the
compound is 153 g/mol. What is the molecular formula of the compound?
Activity 3.
1. Monosodium glutamate (MSG), a food-flavor enhancer, has been blamed for “Chinese restaurant
syndrome”, the symptoms of which are headaches and chest pains. MSG has the following composition
by mass: 35.51% c, 4.77% h, 37.85% o, 8.29% n, AND 13.60% Na. What is its MF it its molar mass is
about 169g?
2. If we know the EF of a compound, what additional information do we need to determine its molecular
formula?

Enrichment activity
1. Peroxyacylnitrate (PAN) is one of the components of smog. It is a compound of C, H, N, and O.
Determine the percent composition of oxygen and the empirical formula from the following percent
composition by mass: 19.8% C, 2.50% H, 11.6% N. What is its molecular formula given that its molar
mass is about 120 g?
2. Allicin is the compound responsible for the characteristic smell of garlic. An analysis of the compound
gives the following percent composition by mass: C:44.4%; H:6.21%; S: 39.5%; O:9.86%. Calculate its
EF. What is its MF given that its molar mass is about 162 g?
References:

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Chang, R. and Overby, J. (2011) General Chemistry: The Essential Concepts. 6th Ed. New York: The McGraw-Hill
Companies, Inc.
Mingi, R. and Meril, M. (2020) General Chemistry 1

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