An element X combines with oxygen to for XO2. If 24g of element X combines with 16g of O, what is the atomic weight of element X? Is a proportion involved?
2006-09-20 08:08:37 · 2 answers · asked by foxtrot 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
It's all about the molar mass.
You know that at some level X + 2 O = XO2. And you know the weights of stuff. The 2 O part is 16 g. It just so happens that oxygen's molar mass is about 16. So that 16 grams of oxygen is one mole of it altogether. Which means you've got half a mole of X (remember, one X for every 2 O). If half a mole of X weighs 24 g, then a whole mole of it must weigh 48 g.
Cake!
For the record, 48 g is pretty close to titanium (which is 47.9), and titanium does react with oxygen to form TiO2. Titanium dioxide is widely available as a white pigment, and may have some use in water purification as well. Just in case you wanted to know. ( :
2006-09-20 08:14:34 · answer #1 · answered by Doctor Why 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
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2006-09-20 08:10:22 · answer #2 · answered by BLoNdE22 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋