A blue solid is 36.84% nitrogen and the rest is oxygen. What is the empirical formula of the solid?

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Answer 1 · 2016-10-04T18:41:09

Divide the percentages by the RAM and then divide by the smallest value, this will give a ratio of the elements in the compound.

#%# of nitrogen #= 36.84#
#%# of oxygen #= 63.16#

Divide the percentages by the relative atomic masses of their respective elements:

#36.84/14 = 2.5#

#63.16/16 = 3.9#

Divide both values by the lowest, and try to find whole-number ratios:

#2.5/2.5 = 1#

#3.9/2.5 = 1.5#

Since the ratio of oxygen to nitrogen is #1.5:1#, we have to double it so that it become #3:2#.

The empirical formula would be #N_2O_3#