Question

A gas is found to contain 2.34g of nitrogen and 5.34g of oxygen. What is the simplest formula of the compound?

Answer 1

• A gas is found to contain 2.34g of nitrogen and 5.34g of oxygen
• The number of moles of nitrogen $=\frac{givenmass}{molarmass}=\frac{2.34}{14}=0.167moles$
• The number of moles of oxygen $=\frac{givenmass}{molarmass}=\frac{5.34}{16}=0.334moles$
• Hence the ratio of moles of oxygen to nitrogen is $0.334:0.167=\frac{0.334}{0.167}=\frac{2}{1}$
• Hence, the number of atoms of oxygen is 2 and of nitrogen is 1.
• $\therefore$ The simplest formula of the compound is $N{O}_2$