RELATIVE FORMULA MASS (Mr)

• If you are talking about compounds, you use the term relative
formula mass.
Relative formula mass is sometimes called relative molecular
mass.
To find the relative formula mass (Mr) of magnesium
carbonate, MgC03
Magnesium Carbonate , MgCO3
Atomic mass , Ar: Mg = 24 C = 12, O = 16
Relative formula mass of MgCO3 , Mr = Mg + C + 3(O) = 24 + 12+ 3(16) = 84
To find the relative formula mass of calcium hydroxide,
Ca(OH)2,
Calcium Hydroxide , Ca(OH) 2
Atomic mass , Ar: Ca = 40 H = 1, O = 16
Relative formula mass of Ca(OH) 2 , M r = Ca + 2H + 2(O)
= 40 + 2+ 2(16)
= 74
To find the Mr, of copper(II) sulfate crystals, CuSO4 .5H 2O

Copper ( II ) sulfate crystals, CuSO 4 .5H 2 O

Atomic mass , Ar: Cu = 63.5 S = 32, H = 1, O = 16
Relative formula mass of CuSO4 .5H 2 O, M r = Cu + S + 9 (O) + 10H
= 63.5 + 32+ (9 16) + 10 (1)
= 249.5
To find the percentage by mass of copper in copper(II) oxide,
CuO
Copper (II) oxide , CuO
Atomic mass , Ar: Ca = 63.5 O = 16 Cu = 63.5
Relative formula mass of CuO, M r = Cu + O
= 63.5 + 16
= 79.5
63.5
Percentage of copper = 100 = 79.9%
79.5
To find the percentage by mass of oxygen in sodium carbonate,
Na2C03

sodium carbonate , Na 2CO3

Atomic mass , Ar: Na = 23, C =12 O = 16
Relative formula mass of Na 2 CO3 , M r = 2Na + C + 3O
= 2  23+ 12 + 3 16
= 106
3 16
Percentage of copper = 100 = 45.3%
oxygen 106
THE MOLE
• the mole is a unit of the amount of substance
• An amount of substance in grams or an amount of
substance in moles
• For example
1 mole of water has a mass of 18 g
1 mole of sulfur has a mass of 32 g
1 mole of magnesium oxide has a mass of 40 g.

The abbreviation for mole is mol.

You find the mass of 1 mole of a substance by calculating the
relative formula mass (Mr) and attaching the units, grams.

1 mole of oxygen gas, 02

Relative atomic mass: 0 = 16.
Mr of 02 = 2 x 16 = 32

1 mole of oxygen, 02, has a mass of 32 g.

1 mole of calcium chloride, CaCl2

Relative atomic masses: Cl = 35.5, Ca = 40.

Mr, of CaCl2 = 40 + (2 x 35.5) = 111

1 mole of calcium chloride has a mass of 111 g.

1 mole of iron(II) sulfate crystals, FeS04 ·7H20

Relative atomic masses: H = 1, 0 = 16, S = 32, Fe = 56

.
Mr, of crystals = 56 + 32 + (11 x 16) + (14*1) = 278

1 mole of iron(II) sulfate crystals has a mass of 278 g.

SIMPLE CALCULATIONS WITH MOLES

mass(g)
number of mole =
mass of 1 mole(g)

OR
mass(g)
number of mole =
Relative formula mass (M r )

Relative Formula mass of iron (II) sulphate = 278

Formula mass = 278 g/mol
1 mole of any substance = 6.02 * 1023 ions, molecules, atoms
Finding the mass of 0.2 mol of calcium carbonate, CaC03
mol of calcium carbonate = 0.2mol
mass of CaCO3 =?
M r of CaCO3 = Ca + C + 3(O) = 40 + 12+ 3(16) = 100
mass
mol =
Mr
mass of CaCO3 = mol  M r = 0.2  100 =20g
0.2mol of CaCO2 has mass of 20g.
Finding the number of moles in 54g of water, H20
 FORMULAE
H2O
1. Empirical Formula
2. Molecular Formula
The empirical formula shows the simplest whole number
ratio of the atoms present in a compound.
Eg : C2 H6 → emprical formula - CH3

The molecular formula shows the actual number of atoms

of each element present in a molecule (covalent
compound) or formula unit (ionic compound) of a
compound. Eg; C2 H6
How to calculate empirical formula
• A sample of a compound contains 1 .27 g of Cu and 0.16 g of O
.Calculate the empirical formula. (A, of Cu = 63.5, A, of O = 16).
Mass (g) Cu O
Ar 63.5 16
mass 1.27 0.16
mole 1.27/63.5 0.16/16
0.02 0.01
Ratio 0.02/0.01 =2 0.01/0.01 =1
Empirical Formula Cu2O
Example 4
A sample of a compound contains 0.78g of K, 1.10g of Mn and 1.28g of
O. (Ar of K = 39, Ar of Mn = 55, Ar of O = 16)
Elements K Mn O

Ar 39 55 16
Mass (g) 0.78 1.1 1.28
mole 0.78/39 1.1/55 1.28/16
0.02 0.02 0.08
Ratio 0.02/0.02 =1 0.02/0.02 =1 0.08/0.02 = 4
Empirical Formula is KMnO4
1. Weigh a crucible with a lid. A

2. Place a piece of magnesium ribbon about

10cm long in the crucible and weigh the c
rucible and contents. B
Wt of Mg = B-A =
3. Set up the apparatus as shown in Figure.

4. Heat the crucible strongly (a roaring flame).

5. Lift the lid every few seconds.

6. When the reaction is finished, allow the

crucible and contents to cool.

7. Weigh the crucible and contents. (D)

Wt of oxygen = D -B
mass of empty crucible/g = 32.46g

mass of crucible + magnesium/g = 32.7g

mass of crucible + contents at end of experiment/ g = 32.86 g

mass of magnesium = 32.70 - 32.46 = 0.24g
mass of oxygen= 32.86 - 32.70 = 0.16g

The reason that the mass increases is because the magnesium combines
with the oxygen in the air.
The mass of magnesium oxide is greater than the mass of just
magnesium due to the extra oxygen.
Mass (g) Mg O
Ar 24 16
mass 0.24 0.16
mole 0.24/24 0.16/16
0.01 0.01
Ratio 0.01/0.01 =1 0.01/0.01 =1
Find the empirical formula of a compound containing 82.7% C and
17.3% H by mass (Ar of H = 1, Ar of C = 12).
Element C H
Ar 12 1
Mass(g) 82.7 17.3
mole 82.7/12 17.3/1
6.89 17.3
Ratio of mole 6.89/6.89 =1 17.3/6.89 = 2.5
2 5
The empirical formula of a compound is C2H5
To find the molecular formula:
Mr
1. Calculate for the compound. This gives a number, n.
empirical mass

2. Multiply the numbers in the empirical formula by n.

Example 6
A compound has the empirical formula CH2. If the relative formula mass
is 56, work out the molecular formula.

M r = 56
empirical mass of CH 2 = 12+2 =14
Mr 56
= =4
empirical mass 14

The molecular formula of compound is 4(CH2) = C4H8

 CALCULATIONS USING MOLES, CHEMICAL EQUATIONS AND
MASSES OF SUBSTANCES
CH 4 + 2O 2 → CO 2 + 2H 2O
1mole 2 mole 1 mole 2 mole

1 molecule of CH4 combines with 2 molecules of 02 to form 1 molecule

of CO2 and 2 molecules of water.

1 mol CH4 reacts with 2 mol O2 to form 1 mol CO2 and 2 mol H20

16g of CH4 (1 mol) reacts exactly with 64 g of 02 (2 mol) to form 44 g of

CO2 (1 mol) and 36 g of H20 (2 mol).
When calcium carbonate, CaCO3, is heated, calcium oxide is formed.
Imagine you wanted to calculate the mass of calcium oxide produced by
heating 25 g of calcium carbonate (Ar: C = 12, 0 = 16, Ca = 40).

CaCO3 → CaO + CO2

1mole 1 mole 1 mole

Mr of Ca CO3 = Ca + C + 3O = 40 + 12+ 48 =100

mass of CaCO3 = 25g
mass 25
mole of CaCO3 = = = 0.25mol
Mr 100
by equation,
1 mol of CaCO3 = 1 mole of CaO
0.25 mol of CaCO3 = ?
mol of CaO = 0.25 mol of CaO
Mr of CaO = 40 + 16 = 56
mass of CaO = mole  Mr = 0.25  56 = 14g

CaCO3 → CaO + CO 2
1mol 1mol 1mol
100g(1mol) CaCO3 produce 56g (1mol) CaO
1g of CaCO3 produce 0.56 g of CaO
25 g of CaCO3 produce 25  0.56 = 14 g of CaO
The equation below is for a reaction that occurs in the extraction of iron:
Fe2O3 + 3C → 2Fe + 3CO
Calculate the mass of iron which can be formed from 1000 g of iron oxide. (Ar: Fe
= 56, C = 12, O =16

Fe 2O3 + 3C → 2Fe + 3CO

1 mol 3 mol 2 mol 3 mol
mass of Fe2 O3 = 1000g
M r of Fe 2O3 = 2Fe + 3O = 2  56 + 3 (16) = 160
mass 1000
mole of Fe2 O3 = = = 6.25 mol
Mr 160
Fe 2 O3 + 3C → 2Fe + 3CO
1 mol 3 mol 2 mol 3 mol
1 mole of Fe2 O3 produce 2 mole of Fe
160g (1 mole) Fe2 O3 produces 112g (2mole) of Fe
112
1g of Fe 2 O3 produce = 0.7g of Fe
160
1000g of Fe 2 O3 produce 700 g of Fe
 A PROBLEM INVOLVING THE EXTRACTION OF LEAD
Lead is extracted from galena, PbS. The ore is roasted in air to produce lead(II)
oxide, PbO:
2PbS(s) + 3O2 (g) → 2PbO(s) + 2SO2 (g)
The lead(II) oxide is then converted to lead by heating it with carbon in a blast
furnace:
PbO(s) + C(s) → Pb(l) + CO(g)
The molten lead is tapped from the bottom of the furnace. Calculate the mass of
lead that would be produced from 1 tonne of galena.
(A,: 0 = 16, S = 32, Pb = 207)
 Yield and purity
The yield is the amount of product you obtain from a reaction;

The purity of the product may be even more important. Impurities could harm
people.

How to calculate the % yield from a reaction

How to calculate the % purity of the product obtained

 Actual Yield
Percentage yield =  100
theoretical yield

the theoretical yield and can be obtained by carrying out

a moles calculation.

the actual yield- this is what is obtained in the

actual experiment and will be given to you in the question.
 Example 7

A student reacted 2.40g of copper(II) oxide (CuO) with hot sulfuric acid. She made
5.21 g of copper(II) sulfate crystals (CuSO4·5H2O).The equations for the reactions
are:
CuO(s) + H 2SO4 (aq) → CuSO4 (aq) + H 2O(l)
CuSO4 (aq) + 5H 2O(1) → CuSO4 . 5H 2O(1)

CuO(s) + H 2SO4 (aq) → CuSO 4 (aq) + H 2O(l)

1mol 1mol 1mol 1mol
CuSO4 (aq) + 5H 2 O(1) → CuSO4 . 5H 2 O(1)
1 mol 5 mol 1mol
 mass 2.4 g
mole of CuO = = = 0.0302mol
Mr 79.5
From the first equation,
1 mol of CuO = 1 mole of CuSO4
0.0302 mol of CuO = 0.03205 mol of CuSO4

From the second equation,

1 mole of CuSO4 = 1 mole of CuSO4 . 5H 2 O
0.03205 mol of CuSO 4 = 0.03205 mol of CuSO 4 . 5H 2O
M r CuSO4 . 5H 2 O = Cu + S + 9(O) + 10 H
= 63.5 + 32+ (9 16) + 10 = 249.5
mass of CuSO 4 . 5H 2 O = mole  M r =0.03205  249.5 = 7.53g
Actual Yield
Percentage yield =  100
theoretical yield
5.21g
=  100 = 69.2%
7.53g
Magnesium reacts with hydrochloric acid according to the following equation:
Mg ( s ) + 2HCl(aq) → MgCl2 (aq) + H 2 ( g )
0.2 mol Mg is reacted with 0.2 mol HCI. Calculate the mass of hydrogen gas
produced.
Example 8
Copper reacts with concentrated nitric acid according to the equation:
Cu ( s ) + 4HNO3 (aq) → Cu ( NO3 )2 (aq) + 2H 2O (1) + 2NO2 ( g )

3.2 g of copper is reacted with 0.40 mol concentrated nitric acid. Work out
which reagent is in excess.
Cu ( s ) + 4HNO3 (aq) → Cu ( NO3 )2 (aq) + 2H 2 O (1) + 2NO 2 ( g )
1mol 4 mol
mass 3.2
mol of Cu = = = 0.05mol
Ar 63.5
1mol of Cu = 4 mole of HNO3
0.05 mole of Cu = ?
Reacted HNO3 = 0.05  4 = 0.2 mole
We have more than 0.20 mol HNO3 therefore HNO3 is in excess