A welding fuel gas contains carbon and hydrogen only. Burning a small sample of it in oxygen gives 3.38 g carbon dioxide, 0.690 g of water and no other products. A volume of 10.0 L (measured at STP) of this welding gas is found to weigh 11.6 g. Calculate
(i) empirical formula,
(ii) molar mass of the gas
(iii) molecular formula.
Given:
Mass of Carbon = 3.38g
Volume of welding gas = 10 L
Mass of 10 L of welding gas = 11.6g
Finding Percentage of Carbon:
44 parts of CO2→12 parts of C
OR
44g of CO2→12 g of C
Therefore, according to the question
3.38 g of CO2→ X g of C
X = [12× 3.38] /44
=0.921g
18 g of water → 2g of hydrogen
So, 0.690 g of water → X g of hydrogen
X = [2× 0.690]/18
=0.0767g
Since carbon and hydrogen are the only constituents of the compound, the total mass of the compound is obtained as follows:
=0.9217 g + 0.0767 g = 0.9984 g
Percentage of carbon = [100×weight of carbon]/weight of compound
= [0.921× 100]/0.998
= 92.32%
Also percentage of hydrogen =[100×weight of hydrogen]/weight of compound
=[0.0766× 100]/0.998
=7.68%
(i) Finding Empirical Formula:
Empirical formula of the compound = CH
Therefore, the Empirical Formula of the compound is CH
(ii) Weight of 22.4 L of gas of STP = [11.6g×22.4L]/10.0L
= 25.985g
≈ 26 g
Therefore, the molecular mass of the gas is 26 g.
(iii) Finding Molecular formula:
Empirical formula mass = 12+1 = 13g
Also molecular mass =26 g [as obtained in step (ii)]
n = [Molecular Mass] / [Empirical Formula Mass]
=26/13
=2
Now molecular formula = n ×Empirical Formula = 2×CH = C2H2
Therefore, the molecular formula of the compound is C2H2.