Percentage Composition of Compounds
Ever wonder what makes up the chemicals around you? Percentage composition tells you exactly how much of each element is in a compound. It's calculated by dividing the mass contribution of an element by the total mass of the compound, then multiplying by 100.
The formula is simple:
Mass % of element = (number of moles × molar mass of element ÷ molar mass of compound) × 100
Let's see this in action with iron(III) oxide (Fe₂O₃). This compound has a molar mass of 159.79 g/mol. When we calculate iron's percentage, we get:
2molFe×55.85g/mol ÷ 159.79 g/mol × 100 = 69.94% Fe
Similarly, for oxygen: 3molO×16.00g/mol ÷ 159.79 g/mol × 100 = 30.06% O
Try This! Calculate the percentage of nitrogen in ammonium nitrate (NH₄NO₃). The answer is 35.02% - can you confirm this using the formula?
We can also work backward! If we know the percentage composition (like 43.7% P and 56.3% O), we can find the empirical formula. First, convert percentages to moles, then find the simplest whole-number ratio. For phosphorus and oxygen, this gives us P₂O₅.
You'll use these calculations often in chemistry, so practice until they become second nature!