CHAPTER 3: CHEMICAL FORMULAE AND EQUATIONS

1.

Table below shows the information of matter.

Matter

Formula Number of mole

Mass/g

Total number
of molecules

Total number of atoms

Oxygen
O2
1
Ammonia
1.5
25.5
Water
H2O
31023
(Relative atomic mass: H,1;C, 12; N, 14; O, 16; Na, 23; S, 32; K, 39 and Avogadros constant =
6 1023 mol -1)
a.
Complete the above table.
[3 marks]
b.
Calculate the number of molecules in 8.9 g of sulphuric acid, H2SO4.
[2marks]

c.

What is the mass of 0.05 mole of nitrogen molecules

[1 mark]

d.

Calculate the total number of ions in 22.2 g of sodium sulphate, Na2SO4.

[1mark]

e.

Calculate the volume in cm3 occupied by 4 g of oxygen, O2 at s.t.p.

(Molar volume = 22.4 dm3 mol-1 at s.t.p)
[1mark]

f.

The empirical formula of glucose is CH2O. The mass of 0.5 mole of glucose is 90g. What
1

is the molecular formula of glucose?

[1mark]

g.

The formula for potassium hydrogen carbonate is KHCO3

i.
What is the relative formula mass of KHCO3?
[1mark]

ii.

Calculate the percentage of potassium by mass in KHCO3.

[1mark]

Figure 1 shows the structure formula of aspirin.

a.

i.

ii.

b.

Figure 1
State the molecular formula of aspirin?
___________________________________________________________________
[1mark]
What is the molar mass of aspirin?
(Relative atomic mass: H, 1; C, 12; O,16)
[1mark]

Figure 2 shows the structural formula of vitamin C.

i.

Figure 2
State the molecular formula and empirical formula of
vitamin C.
(Relative atomic mass: H, 1; C, 12; O, 16)
Molecular formula:___________________________________________________

ii.

iii.

iv.

Empirical formula:___________________________________________________
[2 marks]
What is the different between the molecular formula and empirical formula of
vitamin C?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
[2 marks]
Calculate the mass of 0.2 mole of vitamin C.
[1 mark]

Determine the percentage of oxygen by mass in a

molecule of vitamin C.
[1 mark]

c.

The empirical formula of a compound Y is CH2O. If its relative molecular mass is 180,

determine the molecular formula of Y.

(Relative atomic mass: H, 1; C, 12; O, 16)

[2 marks]
ESSAY QUESTION
3.

a.

i.

Define empirical formula and molecular formula of compound.

ii.

Some compounds have the same empirical formula and molecular

formula. One of the examples is water, H2O. Name and write the
formula of another compound that shows the same phenomenon.

[2 marks]

[2 marks]
b.

The information below is regarding an unsaturated hydrocarbon X

Carbon 85.8%
Hydrogen 14.2%
Relative molecular mass = 70
Relative atomic mass of H=1 and C = 12
Based on the information,
i.
determine the empirical formula of X.
ii.

[3 marks]

determine the molecular formula of X.

[2 marks]

PAPER 3
4

Figure below shows the set-up of apparatus for experiment to determine the empirical formula
of magnesium oxide.

23.70

Magnesium ribbon

25.50

The crucible, lid and Magnesium ribbon are weighed

White fumes

The crucible, lid and Magnesium ribbon is heated until the

reaction complete.

White
powder

26.68

The crucible, lid and Magnesium oxide are weighed when

cooled.

Record the reading for:

i.
The mass of crucible and lid =_______________g
ii.

The mass of crucible, lid and magnesium ribbon = _____________g

iii.

The mass of crucible, lid and magnesium oxide when cooled = _____________g
[3 marks]

b.

i.

Calculate the mass of magnesium and oxygen that have reacted.

ii.

Calculate the mole ratio of magnesium atoms to oxygen atoms use the information
that the Relative atomic mass of O = 16 and Mg = 24.

iii

Determine the empirical formula of magnesium oxide.

[3 marks]
c.

Write a balanced chemical equation to represent the chemical reaction that occurs in the
experiment.

[3 marks]

d.

Tartaric acid is widely used as a flavoring in food and drink. It has a molecular formula
of C4H6O6. Find its empirical formula.

[3 marks]
e.

f.

The following are fertilizers used in agriculture.

Urea, CO(NH2)2
Ammonium nitrate, NH4NO3
Hydrazine, N2H4
Which of the above fertilizes has the richest sources of Nitrogen based on it percentage
by mass?
(C = 12, O = 16, N = 14, H = 1)

[3 marks]
The position of metal M is below hydrogen in the reactivity series. A student is required
to carry out an experiment to determine the empirical formula of the oxide of metal M.
The apparatus provided are porcelain dish, combustion tube, glass tube, cork and Bunsen
burner.
i.

Draw a labelled diagram of set-up of the apparatus for the experiment.

[3 marks]

ii.

Describe the steps that should be taken to ensure that all the air in the combustion
tube has been expelled.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
[3 marks]
7

ANSWER
1

a.
Matter
Oxygen
Ammonia
Water

5.4671022
1.4 g
2.8171023
2800 cm3
C6H12O6
i.
ii.
2. a. i.
ii.
b. i.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.

ii.

iii.
iv.
c. C6H12O6
3. a. i.

ii.

Formula Number of
mole

Mass/g

Total
number of
molecules
61023
9.01023
31023

Total
number of
atoms
O2
1
32
1.21024
NH3
1.5
25.5
3.61024
H2O
0.5
9
91023
[3 marks]
Molecules
[1 mark]
[1 mark]
ions
[1 mark]
[1 mark]
[1 mark]
100
[1 mark]
39%
[1 mark]
C9H8O4
[1 mark]
-1
180 g mol
[1 mark]
Molecular formula = C6H8O6
[1 mark]
Empirical formula = C3H4O3
[1 mark]
The molecular formula of vitamin C shows that the vitamin C
contains 6 carbon, 8 hydrogen and 6 oxygen atoms whereas
empirical formula only shows that the simplest whole number ratio
of C:H:O is 3:4:3 in the molecule of vitamin C.
[2 marks]
35.2 g
[1 mark]
54.55%
[1 mark]
[2 marks]
The empirical formula of a compound gives the
simplest whole number ratio of atoms of each
element in that compound.
The molecular formula of a compound gives the
actual number of atoms of each element that are
present in a molecule of the compound.
Ethanol, C2H5OH

[1 mark]
[1 mark]
[2 marks]

b. i
element
C
Percentage
85.8%
Mass/g
85.8
Number of
85.8/12= 7.15
mole
The simplest
7.15/7.15 = 1
ratio
The empirical formula is CH2
ii.

a.

b.

i.

iii.

Mass of magnesium
25.50-23.70 = 1.80 g
mass of oxygen
26.68-25.5 = 1.18 g
element
Mg
mass
1.8
mol
1.8/24
= 0.075
mol
ratio
1
MgO

2Mg(s) + O2 (g) 2MgO(s)

C2H3O3
hydrazine
i.

[ 2 marks]

14.2/7.15 =
1.98 = 2

Let the molecular mass of X be CH2) n

Then, (12 + 2) n = 70
14 n
= 70
=5
n
The molecular of X is C 5H 10
i.
23.70 g
ii. 25.50 g
iii. 26.68 g

ii.

c.
d.
e.
f.

H
14.2%
14.2
14.2/1 = 14.2

[1 mark]
[1 mark]

[1 mark]
[3 marks]

O
1.18
1.18/16
= 0.074
mol
1
[3 marks]
[3 marks]
[3 marks]
[3 marks]

[3 marks]
ii.

Collect the excess gas which is released at small [3 marks]

hole using test tube and test the gas with
burning splinter. Repeat the test until the gas

burns without pop sound.