Question

Arrange the following substances in order of increasing mass percent of nitrogen. a. NO b. \(\mathrm{N}_{2} \mathrm{O}\) c. \(\mathrm{NH}_{3}\) d. SNH

Short answer

The substances arranged in order of increasing mass percent of nitrogen are: SNH (29.40%), NO (46.71%), \(\mathrm{N}_{2} \mathrm{O}\) (63.66%), and \(\mathrm{NH}_{3}\) (82.24%). The final order is: d, a, b, c.

Step-by-step solution

Find the molar mass of each element involved

To find the mass percent of nitrogen in each substance, we first need to know the molar mass of each element involved (nitrogen, oxygen, and sulfur). Molar mass of nitrogen, N: \(14.01 \space g/mol\) Molar mass of oxygen, O: \(16 \space g/mol\) Molar mass of sulfur, S: \(32.07 \space g/mol\)

Calculate the mass percent of nitrogen in each substance

Next, we will calculate the mass percent of nitrogen in each substance: a. NO Mass percent of N = \(\frac{mass \space of \space N}{mass \space of \space NO} × 100\% = \frac{14.01}{14.01 + 16} × 100\% = 46.71\%\) b. \(\mathrm{N}_{2} \mathrm{O}\) Mass percent of N = \(\frac{mass \space of \space 2N}{mass \space of \space N_2O} × 100\% = \frac{2 × 14.01}{(2 × 14.01) + 16} × 100\% = 63.66\%\) c. \(\mathrm{NH}_{3}\) Mass percent of N = \(\frac{mass \space of \space N}{mass \space of \space NH_3} × 100\% = \frac{14.01}{14.01 + (3 × 1.01)} × 100\% = 82.24\%\) d. SNH Mass percent of N = \(\frac{mass \space of \space N}{mass \space of \space SNH} × 100\% = \frac{14.01}{32.07 + 14.01 + 1.01} × 100\% = 29.40\%\)

Arrange the substances in order of increasing mass percent of nitrogen

Now, we can arrange the substances in order of increasing mass percent of nitrogen: SNH (29.40%) < NO (46.71%) < \(\mathrm{N}_{2} \mathrm{O}\) (63.66%) < \(\mathrm{NH}_{3}\) (82.24%) The final order is: d, a, b, c.

Key concepts

Molar Mass Calculation

Understanding molar mass calculation is essential for determining the percent composition of a chemical compound. Molar mass represents the mass of one mole of a substance, and is expressed in grams per mole (g/mol). It is the sum of the atomic masses of all the atoms in a chemical formula.

For instance, in the given exercise, nitrogen (N) has an atomic mass of approximately 14.01 g/mol, while oxygen (O) and sulfur (S) have atomic masses of 16 g/mol and 32.07 g/mol respectively. To calculate the molar mass of a compound, simply sum up the molar masses of the individual elements in the compound, multiplied by their respective quantities in the formula.

For example, the molar mass of NH₃ is calculated by taking one nitrogen atom (14.01 g/mol) plus three hydrogen atoms (approximately 1.01 g/mol each), leading to a total molar mass for ammonia.

Percent Composition

The percent composition of an element within a compound provides the relative mass contribution of each element to the total mass of the compound, expressed as a percentage. To calculate it, one should divide the total mass of the element in the compound by the total molar mass of the compound, then multiply by 100.

For an illustrative example, when calculating the percent composition of nitrogen in NH₃, the mass of nitrogen is divided by the total mass of NH₃, revealing that nitrogen accounts for 82.24% of ammonia's total mass. This percentage indicates how much of the compound's mass is due to nitrogen atoms. Understanding percent composition is vital for scientists and researchers when analyzing substances and their reactions.

Moreover, the percent composition can also help predict how a compound will react with others, understand its properties, and even identify unknown substances by comparing their percent compositions with known values.

Chemical Compounds

Chemical compounds are substances formed by two or more different types of elements that are bonded together in fixed proportions. These can be separated into simpler substances only by chemical reactions. They have unique properties that are distinct from the elements they are composed of.

For instance, water (H₂O) is a compound made up from hydrogen and oxygen. It has different properties from both oxygen and hydrogen gases. In the exercise, compounds like SNH which is presumably a hypothetical compound, demonstrate how the properties and mass percentages of nitrogen can significantly vary depending on the other elements present and the compound's molecular structure. The order in which the compounds are arranged according to their nitrogen content can also provide insights into the compound's chemical behavior and its potential uses. It is important for students and chemists alike to understand the nature and behavior of chemical compounds to effectively work in the field of chemistry.