Question

Does the percent by mass of each element in a compound depend on the amount of that element used to make the compound? Explain.

Short answer

Yes, percent by mass of each element in a compound depends on the amount of that element used to make the compound.

Step-by-step solution

 Step 1: Mass percent of an element

Mass percent is calculated using the following formula:

$Masspercent=\frac{Massoftheelementinthecompound}{Massofthecompound}\times 100$

Mass of each element in a compound 

From the formula we can say that higher the mass of the element, higher will be its mass percentage. Thus, percent by mass of each element in a compound depends on the amount of that element used to make the compound.