mass fractions of lithium tantalate

lithium tantalate | elemental composition

Find the elemental composition for lithium tantalate 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: LiTaO_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 Li (lithium) | 1 O (oxygen) | 3 Ta (tantalum) | 1 N_atoms = 1 + 3 + 1 = 5 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 Li (lithium) | 1 | 1/5 O (oxygen) | 3 | 3/5 Ta (tantalum) | 1 | 1/5 Check: 1/5 + 3/5 + 1/5 = 1 Compute atom percents using the atom fractions: | number of atoms | atom percent Li (lithium) | 1 | 1/5 × 100% = 20.0% O (oxygen) | 3 | 3/5 × 100% = 60.0% Ta (tantalum) | 1 | 1/5 × 100% = 20.0% 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 Li (lithium) | 1 | 20.0% | 6.94 O (oxygen) | 3 | 60.0% | 15.999 Ta (tantalum) | 1 | 20.0% | 180.94788 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 Li (lithium) | 1 | 20.0% | 6.94 | 1 × 6.94 = 6.94 O (oxygen) | 3 | 60.0% | 15.999 | 3 × 15.999 = 47.997 Ta (tantalum) | 1 | 20.0% | 180.94788 | 1 × 180.94788 = 180.94788 m = 6.94 u + 47.997 u + 180.94788 u = 235.88488 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 Li (lithium) | 1 | 20.0% | 6.94/235.88488 O (oxygen) | 3 | 60.0% | 47.997/235.88488 Ta (tantalum) | 1 | 20.0% | 180.94788/235.88488 Check: 6.94/235.88488 + 47.997/235.88488 + 180.94788/235.88488 = 1 Compute mass percents using the mass fractions: Answer: | | | number of atoms | atom percent | mass percent Li (lithium) | 1 | 20.0% | 6.94/235.88488 × 100% = 2.94% O (oxygen) | 3 | 60.0% | 47.997/235.88488 × 100% = 20.35% Ta (tantalum) | 1 | 20.0% | 180.94788/235.88488 × 100% = 76.71%

Mass fraction pie chart