Questions: What is the percent composition of sodium and chlorine in NaCl? (Round the percent to two decimal places)

Solution Steps

To find the percent composition of sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl) in NaCl, we first need to determine the molar mass of NaCl. The atomic masses are approximately:

• Sodium (Na): 22.9898 g/mol
• Chlorine (Cl): 35.453 g/mol

The molar mass of NaCl is the sum of the atomic masses of Na and Cl:

\[ \text{Molar mass of NaCl} = 22.9898 + 35.453 = 58.4428 \, \text{g/mol} \]

The percent composition of sodium in NaCl is calculated by dividing the atomic mass of sodium by the molar mass of NaCl and then multiplying by 100:

\[ \text{Percent composition of Na} = \left( \frac{22.9898}{58.4428} \right) \times 100 \]

\[ = 39.3371\% \]

Rounding to two decimal places, the percent composition of sodium is 39.34%.

Similarly, the percent composition of chlorine in NaCl is calculated by dividing the atomic mass of chlorine by the molar mass of NaCl and then multiplying by 100:

\[ \text{Percent composition of Cl} = \left( \frac{35.453}{58.4428} \right) \times 100 \]

\[ = 60.6629\% \]

Rounding to two decimal places, the percent composition of chlorine is 60.66%.

Final Answer