Q
QuestionGeology

Calculate the number of oxygen atoms in a 110.0g sample of forsterite Mg^2SiO^4 . Be sure your answer has a unit symbol if necessary, and round it to 4 significant digits
5 months agoReport content

Answer

Full Solution Locked

Sign in to view the complete step-by-step solution and unlock all study resources.

Step 1
: Find the molar mass of forsterite (Mg^2SiO4)

Forsterite is made up of the following elements: Magnesium (Mg), Silicon (Si), and Oxygen (O). To find the molar mass of forsterite, we need to sum the atomic masses of each element in one mole of the compound. The atomic masses are as follows: - Mg: 24.305 amu - Si: 28.085 amu - O: 15.999 amu In the formula Mg^2SiO^4, there are 2 magnesium atoms, 1 silicon atom, and 4 oxygen atoms. So the molar mass of forsterite is: Molar mass of forsterite = 2 * Mg + 1 * Si + 4 * O Molar mass of forsterite = 2 * 24.305 amu + 1 * 28.085 amu + 4 * 15.999 amu Molar mass of forsterite ≈ 110.99 g/mol

Step 2
: Convert the mass of forsterite to moles

Now, we want to convert the given mass of forsterite (110.0 g) to moles. To do this, divide the mass by the molar mass (calculated in Step 1). Number of moles = mass / molar mass Number of moles = 110.0 g / 110.99 g/mol ≈ 0.990 mol

Final Answer

Approximately 3.96 mol of oxygen atoms are present in a 110.0 g sample of forsterite (Mg^2SiO4).