Chapter 3 :Chemical Formulae and Equations Q1.

Find the relative molecular mass of carbon

dioxide. [Ar: C,12 ; O,16]
1 Relative Mass
The relative mass of an object is the comparison of the
mass of the object to the mass of a standard object.
Q2. What is the relative molecular mass of aluminium
2 Relative Atomic Mass (Ar) sulphate [ Al2(SO4)3]? [ Ar: O = 16, S = 32; Al = 27 ]
The relative atomic mass (Ar) of an element is the
average mass of one atom of the element when
compared with 1/12 of the mass of an atom of carbon-
12, which taken as 12 units.
Q3. The general formula of a hydrocarbon is CnH2n
and the relative molecular mass of the hydrocarbon is
84. Find the value of n.

1: Calculate how many times larger is the mass of

carbon atom compared to that of helium atom.
[Relative atomic mass : He,4 ; C,12]

The mole and the number of particles

One mole is an amount of subatance that contains as
many particles as the number atoms in exactly 12g of
2: How many magnesium atoms have the same mass 4 carbon-12, which is 6.02 x 1023 particles.
as two silver atoms? “mol” is the symbol of mole.
[Ar: Mg, 24 ; Ag,108]
1 mole = 6.02 x 1023
The Avogadro Number ( NA )or Avogadro Constant
is defined as the number of atoms in 12 g of the
carbon-12 isotope, which is equal to 6.02 x 1023.

3: An atom of element X is 13 times heavier than one

atom of helium. Calculate the relative atomic mass of
X. [Ar: He,4 ] Equal number of moles of substances always contain
the same number of particles.
Number of Mole of Atoms and Number of Mole of
Molecules
1. All molecules contain more than one atom.
Relative Molecular Mass (Mr)
2. Eg, CO2 molecule (there are 3 atoms - 1
The relative molecular mass (Mr) of an element is the
carbon atom and 2 oxygen atoms.
3 average mass of one molecule of the element/
3. Therefore, in 5 CO2 molecules, there will be
compound when compared with of the mass of an
15 atoms - 5 carbon atom and 10 oxygen atoms.
atom of carbon-12, which taken as 12 units.
4. Similarly, in 1 mole CO2 molecules, there will
be 3 mole atoms - 1 mole carbon atoms and 2
mole oxygen atoms.
Example: Find the number of oxygen atom in 0.75
mol of carbon dioxide.
Number of mole of oxygen atoms in 0.75 mole of
carbon dioxide = 2 x 0.75 mole
Mr = the sum of the Ar of all the atoms in the = 1.50 moles
molecule. The number of oxygen atoms = 1.5 x 6.02 x 1023
= 9.03 x 1023 atoms
For ionic compound, the term ‘Relative Formula
Molar Mass
Mass’ is used instead.
The molar mass of a substance is the mass of one
 mole of substance in grams.
Unit : grams per mole ( g mol -1)
Numerically equal to its relative atomic, molecular
or formula mass.
Number of mole of Volume at s.t.p. (dm3)
Element Ar Mass of 1 mol of Molar Mass gasses
particle 1 mol of O2 gas 1 x 22.4 = 22.4
5 Hydrogen 1 1g 1 g mol-1 3.5 mol of N2 gas 3.5 x 22.4 = 78.4
Carbon 12 12 g 12 g mol-1
Oxygen 16 16 g 16 g mol-1 Number of mole of Volume at r.t.p.
Copper 64 27 g 27 g mol-1 gasses (dm3)
Iron 56 56 g 56 g mol-1 1 mol of O2 gas 1 x 24 = 24
3.5 mol of N2 gas 3.5 x 24 = 84

Q1. What is the volume of 0.3 mole of sulphur

dioxcide gas at STP? [ Molar volume : 22.4 dm3 mol-1
at STP]
Note: n = m Molar Mass
Where n = number of moles
m = mass in grams
Q1. What is the mass of 7.12 mol NaI.
[Ar: I, 131; Na, 23]
Q2. Find the number of moles of oxygen gas
contained in a sample of 120 cm3 of the gas at room
temperature. [Molar volume: 24 dm3 mol-1 at room
conditions]

Q2. What is the mass of copper that has the same

number of atoms as in 4g of argon? [Ar: Ar ,40; Cu,
64]

7 Relationship between the number of mole of particles

in a substance with the mass, number of particles and
volume of gas.

The mole and the volume of gas

The molar volume of a gas is defined as the volume
6 of one mole of the gas

The molar volume of any gas is 22.4 dm3 mol-1 at STP

or 24 dm3 mol-1 at room temperature. Q1. How many aluminium ions are there in 20.4 g of
3
22.4 dm = 22 400 cm³ aluminium oxide? [Ar : O, 16; Al, 27; NA: 6.02 x 1023
24 dm3 = 24 000 cm³ mol-1]

STP : Temperature of 0°C , pressure of 1 atmosphere

Room condition : 25°C , pressure of 1 atmosphere
 Q2. Find the volume of nitrogen in cm3 at STP that The empirical formula of iron oxide = Fe2O3
consists of 2.408 x 1023 nitrogen molecules. [ Molar Q1. Determine the empirical formula of a compound
volume : 22.4 dm3 mol-1 at STP. NA : 6.02 x 1023 mol- which has a percentage of composition Mg: 20.2%, S:
1
] 26.6%, O: 53.2%. [Ar: Mg, 24; S,32; O,16]

8 Chemical Formulae
1. The chemical formula represents the atoms in the
molecule. Finding Molecular Formula
2. The chemical formula tells us: Molecular formula = ( Empirical fomula )n
a. the types of atoms or ions in the Whereby n is a positive integer.
compound,
b. the number of atoms or ions in the Q1. Given that the empirical formula of benzene is
compound, CH and its relative molecular mass is 78. Find the
3. Chemical formula can be divided into molecular formula of benzene. [Ar: C, 12; H, 1]
a. Empirical formula – the simplest
whole number ratio of atoms of each element in
the compound.
b. Molecular formula - the actual
number of atoms of each element in the
compound
Q2. 8.5 g of hydrogen peroxide contains 0.5 g of
Example: hydrogen. If the molar mass of hydrogen peroxide is
Chemical Molecular Empirical 34 g mol-1, find its molecular formular. [Ar: H, 1; O,
Substances Formula Formula 16]
Glucose C6H12O6 CH2O
Water H2O H2O
Carbon CO2 CO2
Dioxide
Benzene C6H6 CH
Butane C4H8 CH2

Finding Empirical Formula

Steps to determine the empirical formula of a
compound
STEP 1: Find the mass
STEP 2: Find the mole
STEP 3: Find the simplest ratio Q3. Calculate the percentage of potassium by mass in
Example 1 : In a chemical reaction, 4.23g of iron reacts completely with potassium carbonate. [Ar: C, 12; O, 16; K, 39]
1.80g of oxygen gas, producing iron oxide. Calculate the empirical formula of
iron oxide. [Ar: Fe, 56; O, 16]

Element Fe O
Mass 4.23g 1.80g
Number of mole 4.23/ 56 1.80/16
=0.0755 =0.1125
Simple ratio 0.0755 0.1125
0.0755 0.0755
=1 =1.5
Ratio in round number 2 3
9 Chemical formulae of ionic compounds CO2
1. Ionic compounds made up of positive ions SO3
( Cations) and negative ions (Anions). N2O4
2. The total of +ve charge = The total of -ve Cl2O7
charge
Chemical equations
Requirements to form the formula of an ionic
1. A chemical reaction is said to occur when a few
compound
starting substances react to produce new
1. Have at least 2 types of ions that contain
substances.
opposite charge.
2. Reactants – starting substances
2. The amount of positive charge/charges must be
3. Products – new substances formed
equal to the amount of negative charge/charges in
4. A chemical equation is a precise description of a
the compound.
chemical reaction.
a. Sodium chloride : _______________
5. A chemical equation must be balanced.
b. Calcium iodide : ________________ 6. Qualitatively, shows the reactants, product and the
physical state of each of them.
c. Sodium oxide : __________________
7. Quantitatively, shows the exact proportions of
d. Ammonium sulphate : _____________ reactants and products in a chemical reaction.
8. Stoichiometery is a study of quantitative
e. Zinc nitrate : ____________________
composition of substances involed in chemical
reactions.
Naming of chemical compounds 9. Steps
1. According to International Union of Pure and S1. Write the balanced equation.
Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) S2. Gather all possible information, convert
2. Ionic compound information to the number of moles if
i Name the cation first necessary
ii Followed by the name of anion S3. Calculated the answer proportionately. Then
convert the answer to the required units.
Cation Anion Name
Sodium ion Chloride ion
Q1.Balance the following chemical equations:
Magnesium ion Oxide ion
a. Mg + O2 → MgO
Zinc ion Sulphate ion
Iron (II) ion Oxide ion
b. CuO + H2 → Cu + H2O
Iron (III) ion Oxide ion
Aluminium ion Oxide ion c. Na + H2O → NaOH + H2
3. Simple molecular compounds
i Name the 1st element d. Li + Cl2 → LiCl
ii Name of the 2nd element added with an –ide
Greek prefixes
Prefix Meaning Prefix Meaning
Mono- 1 Hexa- 6
Di- 2 Hepta- 7
Q2. Lead(II) nitrate aqueous react with potassium
Tri- 3 Octa- 8
iodide aqueous to produce lead(II) iodide
Tetra- 4 Nona- 9
precipitate and potassium nitrate aqueous.
Penta- 5 Deca- 10

Name the molecular compunds

Formula Name
HCl
CO
Q3.1.35 g of aluminium reacts with excessive
copper(II) oxide powder to produce aluminium
oxide powder and copper. Find the number of
copper atoms produced.
[Ar: Al, 27; NA : 6.02 x 1023 mol-1]
Positive ions that you need to know

Ion Symbol Ion Symbol Ion Symbol

Potassium K+ Calcium Ca2+ Aluminium Al3+
Sodium Na+ Magnesium Mg2+ Iron (III) Fe3+
Lithium Li+ Zinc Zn2+ Chromium Cr3+
(III)
Hydrogen H+ Barium Ba2+
Argentums(I) Ag+ Iron (II) Fe2+ Tin (IV) Sn4+
Mercury(I) Hg+ Tin (II) Sn2+ Lead (IV) Pb4+
Ammonium NH4+ Lead(II) Pb2+
Hydrogen H+ Copper(II) Cu2+
Copper (I) Cu+ Manganese(II) Mn2+

Negative ions that you need to know

Ion Symbol Ion Symbol Ion Symbol

Fluoride F- Nitrite NO2- Phosphate PO43-
Chloride Cl- Nitrate NO3- Ethanoat CH3COO-
Bromide Br- Sulphide S2- Manganate(VII) MnO4-
Iodide I- Sulphite SO32-
Hydride H- Sulphate SO42-
Hydroxide OH- Thiosulphate S2O32-
Oxide O2- Chromate (VI) CrO42-
Carbonate CO32- Dichromate(VI Cr2O72-
)

Formula of Molecule

Fluorine F2 Hydrogen chloride HCl

Chlorine Cl2 Hydrogen bromide HBr
Bromine Br2 Hydrogen iodide HI
Iodine I2 Nitric oxide NO
Carbon dioxide CO2 Nitrogen dioxide NO2
water H2O Nitrous oxide N2O
Ammonia NH3 Tetrachloromethane CCl4
Sulphur trioxide SO3 Hydrogen sulphide H2F
Sulphur dioxide SO2 Glucose C6H12O6