Percent Composition by Mass - 3 | Chemical Calculations
General Chemistry 2 - Percent Composition by Mass - 3
Find the empirical formula of a compound which is 31.9% K, 28.9% Cl and 39.2% O.
Empirical formula is KXClYOZ ⇒ MKxClyOz = X MK + Y MCl + Z MO = 39.1 X + 35.4 Y + 16.0 Z
%K = 39.1 X / MKxClyOz = 0.319
%Cl = 35.4 Y / MKxClyOz = 0.289
%O = 16.0 Z / MKxClyOz = 0.392
If X = 1, MKxClyOz = 122.57 g.mol-1 and Y = 1 and Z = 3.
X, Y and Z are the smallest whole number possible, so the empirical formula of this compound is KClO3