Question

Arrange the following substances in order of increasing mass percent of nitrogen.

1. NO
2. N₂O
3. NH₃
4. SNH

Short answer

The following substancesare in order of increasing mass percent of nitrogen.

SNH < NO < N₂O < NH₃

i.e.NO = 14.68%

N₂O = 63.65%

NH₃ = 82.32%

SNH = 29.75%

Step-by-step solution

Definition

The mass percent of an atom in a compound is equal to the ratio of the atom's total mass to the complex'stotal mass multiplied by 100. As a result, it may be stated as follows:

Mass percent of an atom$=\left(\frac{totalmassoftheatom}{totalmassofthesubs\tan ce}\right)100$

Determination of mass percentage of N in NO

a)

Because the molecular mass of a substance is equal tothe sum of the atomic masses of its constituent atoms, calculate the molecular mass of NO as follows:

Molecular mass of NO = mass of N+ mass of O

= 14.007 amu + 15.999 amu

= 30.006 amu

Here the calculation of mass percent,

Mass percent of N in NO $=\left(\frac{massofN}{massofNO}\right)100$

role="math" localid="1655360076056" $$\begin{gathered} =\left(\frac{14.007amu}{30.006amu}\right)100 \\ =14.68\% \end{gathered}$$

Determination of mass percentage of N in N2O

b)

Because the molecular mass of a substance is equal to the sum of the atomic masses of its constituent atoms, calculate the molecular mass of N₂O as follows:

Molecular mass of N₂O = 2(mass of N) + mass of O

= 2(14.007 amu) + 15.999 amu

= 44.139 amu

Here the calculation of mass percent,

Mass percent of N in N₂O = $\left(\frac{2\left(massofN\right)}{massof{N}_{2}O}\right)100$

$$\begin{gathered} =\left(\frac{28.02amu}{44.02amu}\right)100 \\ =63.65\% \end{gathered}$$

Determination of mass percentage of N in

c)

Because the molecular massof a substance is equal tothe sum of the atomic massesof its constituent atoms, calculate the molecular mass of NH₃ as follows:

Molecular mass of NH₃ = mass of N + 3(mass of H)

= 14.007 amu + 3(1.008 amu)

= 17.015 amu

Here the calculation of mass percent,

Mass percent of N in NH₃ = $\left(\frac{massofN}{massofN{H}_3}\right)100$

$$\begin{gathered} =\left(\frac{14.007amu}{17.015amu}\right)100 \\ =82.32\% \end{gathered}$$

Determination of mass percentage of N in SNH

d)

Because the molecular mass of a substance is equal to the sum of the atomic masses of its constituent atoms, calculate the molecular mass of SNH as follows:

Molecular mass of SNH = mass of S + mass of N + mass of H

= 32.07 amu + 14.007 amu + 1.008 amu

= 47.085 amu

Here the calculation of mass percent,

Mass percent of N in SNH = $\left(\frac{massofN}{massofSNH}\right)100$

$$\begin{gathered} =\left(\frac{14.007amu}{47.085amu}\right)100 \\ =29.75\% \end{gathered}$$

ThereforeNH₃ has the largest mass percent of N in the provided compounds, followed byN₂O NO, and SNH. As a result, the following is the ascending order of the mass percent of nitrogen in the supplied compounds:

SNH < NO < N₂O < NH₃