If an Alka-Seltzer tablet contained 309 mg of aspirin, #1.927 xx 10^03# mg of sodium hydrogen carbonate, and #1.004 xx 10^03#mg of citric acid and nothing else, what is the percent, by mass, of sodium hydrogen carbonate in the tablet?

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Answer 1 · 2016-10-01T22:34:10

The percent composition of sodium hydrogen carbonate #("NaHCO"_3")# in the Alka-Seltzer tablet is 59.5%.

Percent composition is determined by dividing the mass of the specified compound by the total mass, then multiply by 100.

#"Percent composition"="mass of specified component"/"total mass"xx100"#

Add the masses of the compounds.

#("309 mg")+(1.927xx10^3 "mg")+(1.004xx10^3"mg")=3.24xx10^3 "mg"#

Divide the mass of sodium hydrogen carbonate #"NaHCO"_3"# by the total mass of the tablet, then multiply by 100.

#"Percent composition of NaHCO"_3=(1.927xx10^3"mg HCO"_3)/(3.24xx10^3"mg")xx100="59.5% NaHCO"_3"#