Simple Basic Chemistry Problem

[DougD720]

Homework Statement

Given a table of percentages. One column stands for the percent of Nitrogen in a substance, the other a percent of Oxygen. Given the table (4 rows with different values), figure out the ratio of atoms of Oxygen for a given amount of Nitrogen.

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution

I have no idea how to even go about doing it. I tried plugging in the weights of the elements, i tried ignoring them. I tried this problem a few different ways but honestly, i haven no idea how to even approach it, i can't seem to figure it out.

It's from the first chapter of our chemistry book, I've tried reading the book, but they don't mention nor show a sample of how to do a problem like this. Nor did the professor do a sample problem in class. I have no idea how to approach this problem, i know it's a simple solution but i haven't taken chemistry in about 3 years, so I'm completely lost here.

Thanks!

 

[Borek]

Water contains 11.19% of hydrogen and 88.81% of oxygen. Let's assume we have 100 g of water - we have 11.19 g of hydrogen and 88.81 g of oxygen then. That means we have 11.19/1.01=11.08 moles of hydrogen and 88.81/16.00=5.55 moles of oxygen. There is exactly 11.08/5.55=2.00 moles of hydrogen per mole of oxygen, so water must have formula H₂O.

Can you do the same to your nitrogen question?

In general you don't have to assume 100 g of substance, but it quite often simplifies thinking.

 

[Blueshift5]

Dear student,

Thank you for reaching out for help with this problem. It is understandable that you may feel lost or unsure when approaching a chemistry problem after a long break from the subject. Here are some steps you can follow to solve this problem:

1. Identify the given information: The table provided has four rows with different values for the percent of Nitrogen and Oxygen in a substance.

2. Understand what the ratio of atoms of Oxygen means: The ratio of atoms of Oxygen refers to the number of Oxygen atoms present in relation to the number of Nitrogen atoms. This can also be thought of as the number of Oxygen atoms for every Nitrogen atom.

3. Use the periodic table: The periodic table provides the atomic mass of each element. In this case, you will need the atomic mass of Nitrogen and Oxygen to determine the ratio of atoms.

4. Convert percentages to masses: To determine the ratio of atoms, you will need to convert the percentages to masses. This can be done by multiplying the percentage by the total mass of the substance. For example, if the percentage of Nitrogen is 25%, and the total mass of the substance is 100g, then the mass of Nitrogen would be 25g.

5. Calculate the number of moles: Using the mass of each element, you can calculate the number of moles of each element present. This can be done by dividing the mass by the atomic mass of the element.

6. Determine the ratio: Once you have the number of moles of each element, you can determine the ratio of atoms by dividing the number of moles of Oxygen by the number of moles of Nitrogen.

I hope this helps you understand how to approach this problem. If you are still having trouble, I suggest seeking help from your professor or a tutor who can guide you through the steps. Remember, practice makes perfect, so keep working on similar problems to strengthen your understanding of basic chemistry concepts. Good luck!