Mesitylene is a liquid hydrocarbon. Burning 0.582 g of the compound in oxygen gives 1.92 g of CO2 and 0.524 g of H₂O. What is the empirical formula of mesitylene?
States of Matter
The substance that constitutes everything in the universe is known as matter. Matter comprises atoms which in turn are composed of electrons, protons, and neutrons. Different atoms combine together to give rise to molecules that act as a foundation for all kinds of substances. There are five states of matter based on their energies of attraction, namely solid, liquid, gases, plasma, and BEC (Bose-Einstein condensates).
Chemical Reactions and Equations
When a chemical species is transformed into another chemical species it is said to have undergone a chemical reaction. It consists of breaking existing bonds and forming new bonds by changing the position of electrons. These reactions are best explained using a chemical equation.
![**Empirical Formula Determination of Mesitylene**
Mesitylene is a liquid hydrocarbon. When 0.582 grams of mesitylene is burned in oxygen, it produces 1.92 grams of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and 0.524 grams of water (H₂O). The goal is to determine the empirical formula of mesitylene.
**Problem Statement:**
When mesitylene is burned in oxygen:
- Mass of mesitylene burned: 0.582 g
- Mass of CO₂ produced: 1.92 g
- Mass of H₂O produced: 0.524 g
**Question:**
What is the empirical formula of mesitylene?
**Step-by-Step Solution:**
1. **Calculate Moles of CO₂ and H₂O:**
- Moles of CO₂ = \(\frac{\text{mass of CO₂}}{\text{molar mass of CO₂}}\)
\[
\frac{1.92 \text{ g}}{44.01 \text{ g/mol}} = 0.0436 \text{ mol CO₂}
\]
- Moles of H₂O = \(\frac{\text{mass of H₂O}}{\text{molar mass of H₂O}}\)
\[
\frac{0.524 \text{ g}}{18.02 \text{ g/mol}} = 0.0291 \text{ mol H₂O}
\]
2. **Determine Moles of Carbon and Hydrogen:**
- Each mole of CO₂ contains 1 mole of Carbon (C).
\[
\text{Moles of C} = 0.0436 \text{ mol}
\]
- Each mole of H₂O contains 2 moles of Hydrogen (H).
\[
\text{Moles of H} = 0.0291 \text{ mol} \times 2 = 0.0582 \text{ mol}
\]
3. **Calculate Mass of Carbon and Hydrogen:**
- Mass of Carbon = moles of Carbon \(\times\) atomic mass of Carbon (12.01 g/mol)
\[
0.0436 \text{ mol} \times 12.01 \text{ g/mol} = 0.523 \text{ g}](/v2/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcontent.bartleby.com%2Fqna-images%2Fquestion%2F7a354f1c-cdfd-41e5-a863-9a86a504af1c%2F2c0af587-a16e-4a54-87bf-6d737ba465dc%2Fiihkca8_processed.png&w=3840&q=75)

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