Input interpretation
sulfur trioxide | elemental composition
Result
Find the elemental composition for sulfur trioxide in terms of the atom and mass percents: atom percent = N_i/N_atoms × 100% mass percent = (N_im_i)/m × 100% Plan: • Write the chemical formula and gather atomic masses from the periodic table. • Determine values for N_i, m_i, N_atoms and m using these items. • Finally, compute the percents and check the results. Write the chemical formula: SO_3 Use the chemical formula to count the number of atoms, N_i, for each element and find the total number of atoms, N_atoms, per molecule: | number of atoms O (oxygen) | 3 S (sulfur) | 1 N_atoms = 3 + 1 = 4 Divide each N_i by N_atoms to calculate atom fractions. Then use the property that atom fractions must sum to one to check the work: | number of atoms | atom fraction O (oxygen) | 3 | 3/4 S (sulfur) | 1 | 1/4 Check: 3/4 + 1/4 = 1 Compute atom percents using the atom fractions: | number of atoms | atom percent O (oxygen) | 3 | 3/4 × 100% = 75.0% S (sulfur) | 1 | 1/4 × 100% = 25.0% Look up the atomic mass, m_i, in unified atomic mass units, u, for each element in the periodic table: | number of atoms | atom percent | atomic mass/u O (oxygen) | 3 | 75.0% | 15.999 S (sulfur) | 1 | 25.0% | 32.06 Multiply N_i by m_i to compute the mass for each element. Then sum those values to compute the molecular mass, m: | number of atoms | atom percent | atomic mass/u | mass/u O (oxygen) | 3 | 75.0% | 15.999 | 3 × 15.999 = 47.997 S (sulfur) | 1 | 25.0% | 32.06 | 1 × 32.06 = 32.06 m = 47.997 u + 32.06 u = 80.057 u Divide the mass for each element by m to calculate mass fractions. Then use the property that mass fractions must sum to one to check the work: | number of atoms | atom percent | mass fraction O (oxygen) | 3 | 75.0% | 47.997/80.057 S (sulfur) | 1 | 25.0% | 32.06/80.057 Check: 47.997/80.057 + 32.06/80.057 = 1 Compute mass percents using the mass fractions: Answer: | | | number of atoms | atom percent | mass percent O (oxygen) | 3 | 75.0% | 47.997/80.057 × 100% = 59.95% S (sulfur) | 1 | 25.0% | 32.06/80.057 × 100% = 40.05%
Mass fraction pie chart
Mass fraction pie chart