Module 4.

2:
Percent Composition
and Chemical Formulas
Objectives
• to calculate the percent composition of a compound
from its formula
• to calculate the empirical formula from the percent
composition of a compound
• to be able to interpret information provided by the
chemical formula
• to utilize molar mass data to obtain the molecular
formula from the empirical formula
Percent Composition by Mass
It is the percent by mass of each element in a
compound.

n  molar mass of element

percent compositio n  100
molar mass of compound
Percent Composition by Mass
For carbon dioxide (molar mass of CO
2 = 44.01 g/mol)

1 (12.01 g/mol)
%C  100  27.29%
44.01 g/mol
2  (16.00 g/mol)
%O  100  72.71%
44.01 g/mol
Exercises
Calculate the percent composition of
the elements of glucose.
Answers
Calculate the percent composition of
the elements of glucose.
39.99% C
6.73% H
53.28% O
Exercises
Which element comprising
magnesium hydroxide has the highest
percentage by mass?
Answers
Which element comprising
magnesium hydroxide has the highest
percentage by mass?
Oxygen: 54.86%
Empirical Formula
The empirical formula of a compound can be
calculated from the percentage composition.
Since the percentage of each element is
already given, it is convenient to use a basis
of 100.00 grams of the compound for
calculations.
Empirical Formula
A compound is found to consist of 7.81% C
and 92.19% Cl. What is the empirical formula
of the compound?
Empirical Formula
A compound is found to consist of 7.81% C and 92.19%
Cl. What is the empirical formula of the compound?
Step 1: Assume 100g of the compound

92.19 g Cl
100 g
compound
7.81 g C
Empirical Formula
A compound is found to consist of 7.81% C and 92.19%
Cl. What is the empirical formula of the compound?
Step 2: Determine the molar mass of
each element

92.19 g Cl; 35.45 g/mol

100 g
compound
7.81 g C; 12.01 g/mol
Empirical Formula
A compound is found to consist of 7.81% C and 92.19%
Cl. What is the empirical formula of the compound?
Step 3: Calculate the number of moles of
each element
1 mol C
7.81g   0.650 mol C
12.01 g

1 mol Cl
92.19 g   2.601 mol Cl
35.45 g
Empirical Formula
A compound is found to consist of 7.81% C and 92.19%
Cl. What is the empirical formula of the compound?
Step 4: Convert to whole numbers by
dividing by the smallest value

0.650 2.601
C: 1 Cl : 4
0.650 0.650
Empirical Formula
A compound is found to consist of 7.81% C and 92.19%
Cl. What is the empirical formula of the compound?
Step 5: Write the empirical formula

CCl4
Molecular Formula
The molecular of a compound can be
calculated by first knowing the empirical
formula and comparing it to a given molar
mass of the unknown compound.
Molecular Formula
A compound is found to consist 43.64% P and
56.36% O. The molar mass for the compound
is 283.88 g/mol. What is the empirical
formula and molecular formula of the
compound?
Molecular Formula
A compound is found to consist 43.64% P and 56.36% O. The
molar mass for the compound is 283.88 g/mol. What is the
empirical formula and molecular formula of the compound?
Step 1 to 5: Follow the steps to get the
empirical formula
56.36 g O; 16.00 g/mol
100 g
compound
43.64 g P; 30.97 g/mol
Molecular Formula
A compound is found to consist 43.64% P and 56.36% O. The
molar mass for the compound is 283.88 g/mol. What is the
empirical formula and molecular formula of the compound?
Step 1 to 5: Follow the steps to get the
empirical formula
1 mol P
43.64 g   1.409 mol P
30.97 g
1 mol C
56.36 g   3.523 mol C
16.00 g
Molecular Formula
A compound is found to consist 43.64% P and 56.36% O. The
molar mass for the compound is 283.88 g/mol. What is the
empirical formula and molecular formula of the compound?
Step 1 to 5: Follow the steps to get the
empirical formula
1.409 3.523
P: 1 O:  2.5
1.409 1.409
Molecular Formula
A compound is found to consist 43.64% P and 56.36% O. The
molar mass for the compound is 283.88 g/mol. What is the
empirical formula and molecular formula of the compound?
Step 1 to 5: Follow the steps to get the
empirical formula

PO2.5 P2O5
Since the subscripts are still not whole numbers, multiply by a factor
to get the smallest whole number
Molecular Formula
A compound is found to consist 43.64% P and 56.36% O. The
molar mass for the compound is 283.88 g/mol. What is the
empirical formula and molecular formula of the compound?
Step 6: Calculate the molar mass of the
obtained empirical formula

molar mass of P2O5 = 141.94 g/mol

Molecular Formula
A compound is found to consist 43.64% P and 56.36% O. The
molar mass for the compound is 283.88 g/mol. What is the
empirical formula and molecular formula of the compound?
Step 7: Compare the mass of the
empirical formula to the given molar
mass in the problem
molar mass of P2O5 = 141.94 g/mol
molar mass given = 283.88 g/mol
Molecular Formula
A compound is found to consist 43.64% P and 56.36% O. The
molar mass for the compound is 283.88 g/mol. What is the
empirical formula and molecular formula of the compound?
Step 8: Use the following equation to get
the factor in obtaining the molecular
formula
molar mass given
 factor
molar mass empirical formula
Molecular Formula
A compound is found to consist 43.64% P and 56.36% O. The
molar mass for the compound is 283.88 g/mol. What is the
empirical formula and molecular formula of the compound?
Step 8: Use the following equation to get
the factor in obtaining the molecular
formula
283.88 g/mol
2
141.94 g/mol
Molecular Formula
A compound is found to consist 43.64% P and 56.36% O. The
molar mass for the compound is 283.88 g/mol. What is the
empirical formula and molecular formula of the compound?
Step 9: Multiply the factor to the
empirical formula's subscripts to obtain
the molecular formula

(P2O5)2 = P4O10