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 CO212 parts of C


OR


44g of CO212 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.


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