Question

A sample contains 0.178 moles of tin and 0.172 moles of chlorine. What is the formula of the compound.

My thoughts are:

0.178 mol Sn=0.178/0.172= 1.03

0.172 mol Cl =0.172/0.172=1.00

Therefore it should be SnCl, however should each calculation be multiplied by 2 since there are two elements? Making this actually Sn2Cl2.

If I have calculated this incorrectly please show exactly how this problem should be approached.

Answer 1

given

0.178 moles of tin

and

0.172 moles of chlorine

now

consider the ratio of tin and chlorine

we get

Sn:Cl = 0.178:0.172

Sn:Cl = 1.03 : 1

this is equivalent to 1:1

so

the empirical formula of the compound is SnCl

now

the molecular formula is (SnCl)n

when

n = 1 , SnCl

n=2 , Sn2Cl2

n =3 , Sn3Cl3

so

from the given information

the empirical formula is calculated that is SnCl

to

know the exact molecular formula

the value of n should be found

and

the value of n can be found by

n = molecular mass of compound / empirical mass of SnCl