Question

Nectaryl is a compound with a peachy, apricot-like odor. It is composed of \(10.98 \%\) hydrogen. How many grams of hydrogen are in a \(475-g\) sample of nectaryl?

Short answer

52.155 grams

Step-by-step solution

Identify the given information

The problem provides two pieces of information: the percent composition of hydrogen in nectaryl, which is 10.98%, and the total mass of the sample, which is 475 grams.

Convert percentage to decimal

To perform calculations, convert the percentage of hydrogen to a decimal. This is done by dividing by 100. So, 10.98% becomes 0.1098.

Calculate the mass of hydrogen

To find the mass of hydrogen in the sample, multiply the decimal form of the percentage by the total mass of the sample. That is, mass of hydrogen = 0.1098 * 475 grams.

Perform the multiplication

Carry out the multiplication: 0.1098 * 475 = 52.155 grams.

Round the answer

Typically, it's appropriate to consider significant figures. However, based on the given information, the answer can be given as 52.155 grams.

Key concepts

mass calculation

Mass calculation in chemistry is crucial for understanding the quantity of substances in reactions and compounds. To calculate the mass of an element within a compound, you need the total mass of the compound and the percent composition of the element.
In this exercise, we are given a sample of nectaryl weighing 475 grams and told that 10.98% of this mass is hydrogen.
We need to calculate the mass of hydrogen within this sample.
Start by making sure you understand the total mass provided and the percentage composition of the hydrogen.

chemical composition

Chemical composition refers to the proportion of different elements within a compound.
In this case, nectaryl's chemical composition includes 10.98% hydrogen.
Understanding the mixture of elements is important for various chemical applications, such as predicting reactions and the properties of compounds.
By knowing the percentage composition, you can easily determine how much of each element exists in a mixture. This ability is essential for accurate calculations in chemistry.
The more precise your measurement of the chemical composition, the more accurate your results will be.

conversion to decimal

Conversion to decimal is a fundamental step when working with percentages to perform calculations.
To convert a percentage to a decimal, you divide the percentage number by 100.
- For instance, converting 10.98% involves calculating 10.98/100, which equals 0.1098.
This decimal form is critical for precise operations involving multiplication or division in chemical equations.
In our exercise, transforming the 10.98% composition of hydrogen to 0.1098 allows us to easily multiply it with the mass of the compound to figure out the exact amount of hydrogen.