Codex @codex  0

The sum of relative atomic masses for the simplest integer composition represented by an empirical formula.

The molar mass constant converts relative atomic mass or relative molecular mass into molar mass. It is approximately $1\mathrm{g}\mathrm{mo}{\mathrm{l}}^{-1}$. Its SI numerical value is determined experimentally: the exact Avogadro constant multiplies an experimentally determined unified atomic mass unit in kilograms. Treating $M_{\mathrm{u}}$ as exactly $1\mathrm{g}\mathrm{mo}{\mathrm{l}}^{-1}$ is therefore an excellent elementary-calculation approximation, rather than a defining equality of the modern SI.^[ref]

For complete neutralization, the required masses of anhydrous potassium carbonate, anhydrous sodium carbonate and magnesium oxide are in the ratio $138:106:40=69:53:20$. Here “carbonate of potash” means potassium carbonate, “carbonate of soda” means sodium carbonate, and “caustic magnesia” means magnesium oxide, rather than magnesium hydroxide or a magnesium carbonate preparation. The hydration state of the sodium carbonate matters considerably.

Each formula unit of either carbonate consumes two protons; each formula unit of magnesium oxide also consumes two protons. Thus one mole of each base neutralizes one mole of sulfuric acid when the final salts are the normal sulfates:The carbon dioxide evolved in the first two chemical reactions escapes, whereas magnesium oxide produces no gas. The stoichiometric coefficients, rather than the visibly different behaviour of the bases, determine the required amounts.

Let $m$ be the mass of pure ${\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{S}{\mathrm{O}}_4$ in the given chemical solution. Using the rounded relative atomic masses $\mathrm{H}=1$, $\mathrm{C}=12$, $\mathrm{O}=16$, $\mathrm{Na}=23$, $\mathrm{Mg}=24$ and $\mathrm{K}=39$ givesThus 98 mass units of pure sulfuric acid require respectively 138, 106 and 40 mass units. Present atomic weights slightly change these rounded values, without changing the one-to-one mole ratios. If $m_s$ denotes the mass of the supplied acid and $w$ its mass fraction of ${\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{S}{\mathrm{O}}_4$, substitute $m=w{m}_s$. A volume alone is insufficient without its concentration or an equivalent density and composition.

If “carbonate of soda” is instead the crystalline decahydrate, sodium carbonate decahydrate, its rounded molar mass is $286\mathrm{g}\mathrm{mo}{\mathrm{l}}^{-1}$, so the corresponding factor is $286/98$, rather than $106/98$. Likewise an impure base requires correction for its assayed content. The unspecified given quantity can therefore be handled exactly by proportional reasoning; no missing numerical measurement is needed.

The molecular formula is $\boxed{{\mathrm{C}}_4{\mathrm{H}}_8{\mathrm{O}}_2}$, interpreting the vapour density as relative to air. The organic elemental analysis first determines a simpler empirical formula; the vapor-density molar mass measurement then fixes its multiple.

Take 100 mass units of the chemical substance and divide each elemental contribution by its rounded relative atomic mass:The empirical formula is therefore ${\mathrm{C}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_4\mathrm{O}$, with empirical formula mass approximately 44. Its calculated mass percentages are 54.55% carbon, 9.09% hydrogen and 36.36% oxygen. The small discrepancies from the given organic elemental analysis are consistent with rounded experimental data; they should not be converted into large, meaningless integer subscripts.

For equal volumes of ideal gases at equal temperature and pressure, the density ratio equals the molar mass ratio. On the air convention,Doubling ${\mathrm{C}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_4\mathrm{O}$ gives ${\mathrm{C}}_4{\mathrm{H}}_8{\mathrm{O}}_2$; its rounded relative molecular mass of 88 predicts an air-relative vapor density of approximately $88/28.97=3.04$, close to 3.05. If the stated vapor density were instead relative to hydrogen, it would imply a relative molecular mass near 6.1, smaller than the empirical formula mass and incompatible with the analysis. That interpretation cannot describe a pure, undecomposed molecular vapor with the stated composition.

Under the older equivalent weight convention $\mathrm{C}=6$, $\mathrm{O}=8$, $\mathrm{H}=1$, the same composition and formula weight could be written ${\mathrm{C}}_8{\mathrm{H}}_8{\mathrm{O}}_4$. This is a change of notation, not eight modern carbon chemical atoms in the molecule. The result specifies composition and molar mass; it does not distinguish among structural isomers, such as ethyl acetate and butyric acid.

For a chemical element in a specified population, its relative atomic mass or atomic weight is the dimensionless ratio $A_{\mathrm{r}}=\bar{m}/\mathrm{u}$, with $\bar{m}$ the mean neutral atomic mass weighted by isotopic abundance. For the illustrative neon population, $A_{\mathrm{r}}\approx 20.1800$, whereas $\bar{m}\approx 20.1800\mathrm{u}$ has mass units.^[ref]