Percentage Composition of Nitrogen in Copper(II) Nitrate: A Comprehensive Guide

Understanding the chemical composition of compounds is crucial in various scientific and industrial applications. This article delves into the percentage composition of nitrogen in copper(II) nitrate (Cu(NO?)?). Specifically, we will calculate the percentage composition of nitrogen within this compound step-by-step.

Understanding the Compound

Copper(II) nitrate (chemical formula: Cu(NO?)?) is a hydrated ionic compound used in various fields such as analytical chemistry, dye manufacturing, and electronic industry. To determine the percentage composition of nitrogen, we first need to calculate the molar mass of Cu(NO?)?.

Calculation Steps

The molar mass (MM) is the sum of the atomic weights of all atoms in a molecule. For Cu(NO?)?:

Molar mass of Cu 63.55 g/mol Molar mass of N 14.01 g/mol Molar mass of O 16.00 g/mol

Given that Cu(NO?)? has:

1 Copper atom (Cu) 2 Nitrogen atoms (N) 6 Oxygen atoms (O)

The total molar mass is calculated as follows:

MM(Cu(NO?)?) (1 x 63.55) (2 x 14.01) (6 x 16.00) 63.55 28.02 96.00 187.57 g/mol

Calculating the Mass of Nitrogen

The total mass of nitrogen in the compound is:

Total mass of N 2 x 14.01 28.02 g/mol

Percentage Composition of Nitrogen

To find the percentage composition of nitrogen, use the following formula:

Percentage of N (mass of N / molar mass of Cu(NO?)?) x 100

Substituting the values:

Percentage of N (28.02 / 187.57) x 100 ≈ 14.93%

Summary of Calculation

The steps can also be summarized as:

1. Calculate the molecular mass of the whole molecule:

Molecular mass of Cu(NO?)? 63.5143 × 162 187.56 g/mol

2. Calculate the number of nitrogen atoms within the molecule and multiply by the atomic weight of nitrogen:

Mass of N 2 x 14.01 28.02 g/mol

3. Calculate the percentage composition of nitrogen:

Mass of nitrogen present / mass of molecule x 100 28.02 / 187.56 x 100 14.92%

Conclusion

In conclusion, the percentage composition of nitrogen in copper(II) nitrate (Cu(NO?)?) is approximately 14.93%. This value is significant for understanding the chemical properties and behavior of the compound in different applications.