ELEM ENT S AND CO M PO UNDS

Calculating molecular mass

You calculate the molecular massof a
compound the same way regardlessof
structure:
1. Multi ply the number of atomsi n an
element by i tsatomic mass.
2. Repeat thi sprocessfor each element
i n the compound, then
3. Add the numbers.
1Diatonic molecule
(chlorine)
G The element chlori ne exi stsasa
diatomic moleculeC l
2
.
Atomi c massof chlori ne = 3 5 . 5
Molecular massof chlori ne
= 2 x 3 5 . 5 = 7 1
2 Covalent compound
(ethanol)
G Ethanol i sa si mple covalent
compound that hasthe formula
C
2
H
5
O H .
Atomi c massof carbon = 1 2 ;
hydrogen = 1 ; oxygen = 1 6 .
Molecular massof ethanol
= 2 x 1 2 ) + 6 x 1 ) + 1 x 1 6 ) = 4 6
3 Ionic compound (sodium
chloride)
G Ionic compoundsdo not exi st as
moleculesbut asa gi ant lattice
composed of i onsi n a fi xed rati o. The
formula massof an i oni c compound i s
the sum of the atomi c massesof the
i onsi n thei r si mplest rati o.
G Sodi um chlori de consi stsof an i oni c
latti ce i n whi ch the i onsare present i n
the rati o 1:1. Therefore, the formula of
sodi um chlori de i staken to be N a C l.
Atomi c massof sodi um = 2 3 ;
chlori ne = 3 5 . 5 .
Formula massof sodi um chlori de
= 2 3 +3 5 . 5 = 5 8 . 5
Calculating the molecular
mass of compounds
atomic mass
covalent
compound
diatomic
molecule
ionic compound
lattice
molecular mass
Key words
37

D
i
a
g
r
a
m
V
i
s
u
a
l
I
n
f
o
r
m
a
t
i
o
n
L
t
d
.
1Diatomic molecule (chlorine)
3 Ionic compound (sodium chloride)
Cl = 35.45
c h lo ri n e
so d i u m
H=1
C =12
O=16
Na = 23.00
2 Covalent compound (ethanol)
h yd ro g e n
ca rb o n
o xyg e n
c h lo ri n e
Cl = 35.45