Chapter 3

Mass Relationships in Chemical Reactions

CHMY 141 – College Chemistry I

Flathead Valley Community College

Prepared by: Adam Wenz 1

 Determination of Atomic Mass
• Originally, atomic masses of elements were compared to H.
• Today, carbon-12 (12C) is used as the standard.
– One atom of 12C is defined to have a mass of exactly 12 atomic mass
units (amu or u).
– One amu is equivalent to 1.66054 x 10–24 grams

• Masses of atoms are now compared using a mass

spectrometer.

LINK to Video
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 Atomic Mass of Carbon
• Carbon has 3 isotopes: 12C, 13C, and 14C.
– 12C is most abundant at 98.89%.
– 13C has an abundance of 1.11%.

– 14C has a negligibly small abundance at this level of precision.

• When 12C and 13C are measured in a mass spectrometer, their

masses have the following ratio:
13
Mass C
12
= 1.0836129
Mass C
• Thus, to determine the mass of one atom of 13C, we multiply
this ratio by the mass of one atom of 12C.

Mass of 13
C = (1.0836129 )(12 amu) = 13.003355 amu
by definition, an
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exact number
 Atomic Mass of Carbon
• Using the abundance and the mass of each isotope, we can
calculate an average atomic mass for carbon.
= ( 0.9889 )(12 amu ) + ( 0.0111 )(13.003355 amu )
= 12.01 amu

• There isn’t a single atom of carbon with a mass of 12.01 amu.

– We do this so we can “count” atoms indirectly via mass determination.

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 Isotopes of Neon
• The relative intensities of the signals recorded when neon is
injected into a mass spectrometer.
• The relative areas of the peaks are 0.9092 (20Ne), 0.00257
(21Ne), and 0.0882 (22Ne).
• Neon is therefore 90.92% 20Ne, 0.257% 21Ne, and 8.82% 22Ne.

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 Molecular Mass & Formula Mass
• Molecular mass: the sum of the atomic masses of all atoms in
a molecule.
– Expressed in amu.

• Example:
– Molecular mass of ozone, O3 is (3 x 16.00 amu) = 48.00 amu

• Formula mass: the sum of the atomic masses of all atoms in a

single formula unit of an ionic compound.
– Expressed in amu.

• Example:
– Formula mass of sodium chloride, NaCl is:
(1 x 22.99 amu) + (1 x 35.45 amu) = 58.44 amu

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 Counting Atoms
• Since atoms are so small, chemists have devised a special unit.

• Mole: the amount of substance that contains as many atoms

as there are in exactly 12 g of 12C.

• Experiments have determined that one mole is equal to

6.02214076 x 1023 atoms.
– We will round this off to 6.022 x 1023 in our calculations.
– This number is referred to as Avogadro’s number.

• One mole of carbon has a mass of 12.01 grams.

• One mole of helium has a mass of 4.003 grams.

• Helium has a mass that is roughly ⅓ that of carbon.

• Both samples have the same number of atoms (6.022 x 1023).
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One Mole of Various Elements

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Conversions Using the Mole

particles of
substance
1
Avogadro’s # Avogadro' s #

moles of
substance

1 molar mass
molar mass

grams of
substance

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 Molar Mass
• The mass, in grams, of one mole of a substance.

• Water, H2O
Mass of 2 mol of H = 2 x 1.008 g = 2.016 g
Mass of 1 mol of O = 1 x 16.00 g = 16.00 g
Mass of 1 mol of H2O = 18.016 g

• Calcium Phosphate, Ca3(PO4)2

Mass of 3 mol of Ca = 3 x 40.08 g = 120.24 g
Mass of 2 mol of P = 2 x 30.97 g = 61.94 g
Mass of 8 mol of O = 8 x 16.00 g = 128.00 g
Mass of 1 mol of Ca3 (PO4 )2 = 310.18 g
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 Conceptual Problem Solving
1. What information has been given?
– Information contained within the problem.

2. What information is being solved for?

– What is it that we don’t know?

3. What information do I need to solve the problem?

– Mathematical equations?
– Chemical equations or formulas?
– Unit conversions?

4. Obtain answer.
– Significant figures should be applied to final answer.

5. Is the answer reasonable?

– Does the answer make sense in relation to the information given?
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 Percent Composition
• The percentage of a given element in a compound is given by:
n x molar mass of element
x 100%
molar mass of compound
– where n is the number of moles of the element present in the
compound.

• Ethanol, C2H6O:
2 x (12.01 g)
%C = x 100% = 52.14%
46.07 g
6 x (1.008 g)
%H = x 100% = 13.13%
46.07 g
1 x (16.00 g)
%O = x 100% = 34.73%
46.07 g
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52.14% + 13.13% + 34.73% = 100.0%
 Determination of a Chemical Formula
• Compounds are often decomposed into simpler substances in
order to determine their chemical formula.

• The apparatus below is used to determine carbon (as CO2) and

hydrogen (as H2O) content of a compound.

• Amount of each element often given as mass percentages.

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 Empirical Formulas
• Gives the simplest whole-number ratios
of each element in a compound.
– May or may not be same as that compound’s
molecular formula.

• The roadmap at the right shows how to

solve these types of problems.
– It is common to assume we have a sample of
100 grams of the compound.
– Intended to make the math simpler.

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 Empirical Formula Example
• Determine the empirical formula of a compound that has the
following percent composition by mass:
%K = 24.75 %; %Mn = 34.77 %; %O = 40.51 %

• Assumption: We have 100 grams of this compound.

• Therefore, the sample has the following amounts of each

element, in moles:
1 mol K
K: 24.75 g x = 0.63299 mol K
39.10 g K
1 mol Mn
Mn: 34.77 g x = 0.63287 mol Mn
54.94 g Mn
1 mol O
O: 40.51 g x = 2.53188 mol O
16.00 g O
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 Empirical Formula Example, continued
• The smallest amount of moles is that of Mn: 0.63827 mol.

• We divide all the molar amounts by this number:

0.63299 mol 0.63287 mol 2.53188 mol

K: ≈ 1 Mn: = 1 O: ≈4
0.63287 mol 0.63287 mol 0.63287 mol

• Since all the ratios obtained are roughly integers, our

empirical formula is KMnO4.

• NOTE: If we didn’t have all integers, we would have to

multiply the ratios by some common factor that would give us
all integers.

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 The Chemical Equation
• Used to describe a chemical reaction.
– Must be balanced (show same number of atoms before and after
reaction arrow – following Law of Conservation of Mass!)

• Reactants: substances on the left side of reaction arrow.

• Products: substances on the right side of reaction arrow.

∆
• If a substance is heated, that is represented by ՜.

• Physical states of substances are represented by:

State Symbol
solid (s)
liquid (l)
gas (g)
dissolved in water (aqueous) (aq) 17
 The Reaction of Hydrogen and Oxygen
• Hydrogen gas reacts with oxygen gas to produce water vapor.

• Or, in chemical equation terms:

2 H2 (g) + O2 (g) → 2 H2O (g)

• Meaning:

2 molecules H2 + 1 molecule O2 → 2 molecules H2O

2 moles H2 + 1 mole O2 → 2 moles H2O

2(6.022x1023) molecules H2 + 6.022x1023 molecules O2

→ 2(6.022x1023) molecules H2O
4 g H2 + 32 g O2 → 36 g H2O

36 g reactants → 36 g products 18
 Balancing Chemical Equations

1. Write the correct formula(s) for the reactants on the left side
and the correct formula(s) for the product(s) on the right side
of the equation.
Gaseous ethane reacts with oxygen gas to form
carbon dioxide gas and water vapor.
C2H6 (g) + O2 (g) CO2 (g) + H2O (g)

2. Change the numbers in front of the formulas (coefficients) to

make the number of atoms of each element the same on both
sides of the equation. Do not change the subscripts.
2 C2H6 NOT C4H12

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 Balancing Chemical Equations

3. Start by balancing those elements that appear in only one

reactant and one product.

C2H6 (g) + O2 (g) CO2 (g) + H2O (g) start with C or H but not O

2 carbon 1 carbon
multiply CO2 by 2
on left on right
C2H6 (g) + O2 (g) 2CO2 (g) + H2O (g)

6 hydrogen 2 hydrogen
multiply H2O by 3
on left on right
C2H6 (g) + O2 (g) 2CO2 (g) + 3H2O (g) 20
 Balancing Chemical Equations

4. Balance those elements that appear in two or more reactants

or products.
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C2H6 (g) + O2 (g) 2CO2 (g) + 3H2O (g) multiply O2 by 2

2 oxygen 4 oxygen + 3 oxygen = 7 oxygen

on left (2x2) (3x1) on right

C2H6 (g) + 7 O2 (g) remove fraction

2CO2 (g) + 3H2O (g)
2 multiply both sides
by 2
2C2H6 (g) + 7O2 (g) 4CO2 (g) + 6H2O (g)

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 Balancing Chemical Equations

5. Check to make sure that you have the same number of each
type of atom on both sides of the equation.

2C2H6 (g) + 7O2 (g) 4CO2 (g) + 6H2O (g)

4 C (2 x 2) 4C
12 H (2 x 6) 12 H (6 x 2)
14 O (7 x 2) 14 O (4 x 2 + 6)
Reactants Products
4C 4C
12 H 12 H
14 O 14 O 22
 Stoichiometry
• The relative amounts of substances in a chemical equation can
be determined using the method shown below.
– “A” and “B” are generic terms for the two substances being compared.

particles A particles B

1 1
Avogadro’s # Avogadro' s # Avogadro’s # Avogadro' s #

coefficients from balanced

moles A moles B
chemical equation

1 1
(molar mass)A (molar mass)B
(molar mass)A (molar mass) B

grams A grams B 23
 Stoichiometry Example
Methanol burns in air according to the equation:
2 CH3OH (l) + 3 O2 (g) 2 CO2 (g) + 4 H2O (g)
If 209 g of methanol are used up in the combustion, what mass of
water is produced?
grams CH3OH moles CH3OH moles H2O grams H2O
molar mass coefficients molar mass
CH3OH chemical equation H2O

1 mol CH3OH 4 mol H2O 18.0 g H2O

209 g CH3OH x x x =
32.0 g CH3OH 2 mol CH3OH 1 mol H2O

235 g H2O
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 Limiting Reactant
• Balanced chemical equations provide us with the proportions
in which the reactants react with each other.
– Referred to as stoichiometric amounts.

• However, many times the amounts of reactants used are not

in the needed proportion.

• Often, one or more reactants are present in excess, so that

other, more expensive reactants are completely consumed.

• Since the more expensive reactant gets used up first, it is

referred to as the limiting reactant (or reagent).

• There are two methods used to determine which is the limiting

reactant. 25
 Limiting Reactant Determination
1. Calculate the number of moles that are present for each
reactant.

2. Determine how many moles of one of the products would be

produced by each reactant.

– Whichever reactant produces the least amount of moles of product is

the limiting reactant.

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 Limiting Reactant Example
• Urea, (NH2)2CO, is prepared by reacting ammonia with carbon
dioxide.
2 NH3 (g) + CO2 (g) → (NH2)2CO (aq) + H2O (l)

In one run of the process, 637.2 g of NH3 are reacted with 1142 g
of CO2.

a) Which of the two reactants is limiting?

b) Calculate the mass of urea formed.

1 mol NH3
moles NH3 present = 637.2 g × = 37.408 mol NH3
17.03 g NH3
1 mol CO2
moles CO2 present=1142 g × = 25.949 mol CO2
44.01 g CO2 27
 Limiting Reactant Example, continued
• The number of moles of urea produced by each reactant:
1 mol urea
37.408 mol NH3 × = 18.704 mol urea
2 mol NH3
1 mol urea
25.949 mol CO2 × = 25.949 mol urea
1 mol CO2
– Since NH3 produces less urea, it is the limiting reactant.

• The amount of NH3 present is used to calculate the amount of

urea produced.
1 mol urea 60.06 g urea
37.408 mol NH3 × × = 1123 g urea
2 mol NH3 1 mol urea

– Do not use the number of moles of the excess reagent to perform this
calculation – your values will be too high!

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 Reaction Yield
• Theoretical Yield: the amount of product that would result if
all the limiting reagent reacted.

• Actual Yield: the amount of product actually obtained from a

reaction.

Actual Yield
% Yield = × 100
Theoretical Yield

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