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CHEMISTRY HELP

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CHEMISTRY HELP

Postby Darwin420 on Wed May 14, 2008 8:31 pm

Hey Guys,

I am currently taking an online chem course which is essentially grade 12 supplement class at my uni. I am new to chem so please bare with me.

How would I go about solving a question of this sort.

"When a sample of methyl salicylate weighing 5.287 grams is burnded in excess oxygen, 12.24 g of co2 and 2.505 g of water are formed. What is the simplest formula?

The way I thought you would do it is firstly find the mass of the elements. For example for carbon it was be 12.24 x 12.01 c/44.01 co2. And do the similar things for the other elements. I then would find the number of moles, conver to ratios and then I would be able to determine how many elements there are. BUT I am getting the wrong answer, how should I approach this question. Please, if someone could describe to me the process please doo!!.
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Postby mith on Wed May 14, 2008 9:54 pm

Umm....not quite sure why you're multiplying by the weight of carbon. Since you already know each mole of CO2 has 1 mole of carbon 12.24/44 gives you the moles of carbon present.
2.505/18 gives you moles of water, and each has 2 moles of hydrogen. Only problem is you won't be able to find the oxygen content.
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Postby sunnybooboo on Thu May 15, 2008 4:52 am

Thank you so much for the message: Living one day at a time. I suppose it is a bit of serendipity to see that at this moment in my life. Thank you.
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Postby MichaelXY on Thu May 15, 2008 5:15 am

umm, huh, what???
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Postby alextemplet on Thu May 15, 2008 11:23 am

I think s/he's interpreting mith's signature as part of his actual post.
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Postby Darwin420 on Thu May 15, 2008 12:57 pm

....dumbass
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Re: CHEMISTRY HELP

Postby blcr11 on Thu May 15, 2008 3:18 pm

From the data you can calculate the # moles (and then the weight) of C and # moles (and then the weight) of H that must have been present in the original sample, as mith outlined. If you can assume that the compound is composed only of C, H, and O (which, it so happens, is true), then you can find the amount of oxygen in the sample by subraction.
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Postby mith on Thu May 15, 2008 3:39 pm

Serendipity is when you both go to a pair of elevators and agree to pick a floor at random, and then some kid slows you down on the way.
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Re:

Postby MichaelXY on Thu May 15, 2008 8:38 pm

Darwin420 wrote:....dumbass


You better smile when you say that pilgrim. 8)
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Postby alextemplet on Fri May 16, 2008 11:09 pm

What kind of screenname is "sunnybooboo" anyway?
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