CHAPTER 3 :

CHEMICAL FORMULAE
AND EQUATIONS

RELATIVE ATOMIC MASS, Ar

Relative

atomic mass of an
element is defined as the
average mass of one atom of an
element compared to onetwelfth of the mass of a carbon
-12 atom.

RELATIVE ATOMIC
MASS

Relative Atomic Mass is the mass of one atom of an element

compared to that 1/12 of the mass of an atom of Carbon-12
The relative atomic mass of carbon-12 is taken to be 12.000
Relative atomic mass of an element =
Mass of one atom of the element
1/12 x mass of one carbon-12 atom

Relative Molecular Mass

The relative molecular mass of a molecule is the sum of the

relative atomic mass of each atom in the molecule

CH4

12

Relative molecular mass

= 12 + 4(1)
= 16

RELATIVE ATOMIC MASS, Ar

Relative atomic mass of an element

= the average mass of one atom of the element

1
x the mass of one carbon -12 atom
12

Example
Relative atomic mass of C=12, O=16, Mg=24

RELATIVE ATOMIC MASS, Mr

Relative molecular mass of a substance
= the average mass of one molecule of the substance
1 X mass of one carbon -12 atom
12

CALCULATION OF
NUMBER OF MOLE

For solid, liquid or gas

For gas only

No. of moles = mass of substances

Number of moles = volume of gas

molar mass
Molar mass = RAM/RMM/RFM in
grams
For solution
Number of moles = MV
1000
M = molarity of the solution
V = volume of solution in cm3

molar volume

Molar volume = 24 dm3 at room

conditions (R.T.P)

3
For number
Molar
volume
of particles
= 22.4 dm
(atom,
at S.T.P
molecule,
ion)

Number of moles = No. of particles

6.02 x 1023
Avogadros Constant = 6.02 x 1023

SUMMARY OF
MOLE
Mass

molar
mass

molar
mass

Avogadro

No. of
Mole

molar
volume

constant

Avogadro
constant

No. of
particles

molar
volume (s.t.p./room
condition)

Volume
of gas

CHEMICAL FORMULAE
Empirical

formula

chemical formula that shows the simplest

mole ratio of atoms of each element in a
compound

Molecular

formula

chemical formula that shows the actual

number of atoms of each element in a
molecule

DETERMINATION OF
EMPIRICAL
FORMULA
Example: The reduction
of 3.20 g of an oxide of iron

produces 2.24 g of iron. What is the empirical formula of

the iron oxide?
Element
Mass (gram)
Number of moles
Mole ratio
Simplest mole ratio
Empirical Formula

Answer: Fe2O3

Fe

2.24

3.20-2.24 = 0.96

2.24/56
=0.04
0.04/0.04 = 1

0.96/16
=0.06
0.06/0.04 =1.5

1x 2 = 2

1.5 x 2 =3

Fe2O3

DETERMINATION OF MOLECULAR
FORMULA
A hydrocarbon X has the empirical formula of CH2
and a relative molecular mass of 70. Determine the
molecular formula of X?
X = (CH2)n
Relative molecular mass of X,

Molecular formula = C5H10

n [ 12 + 2(1)] = 70
14n = 70
n
= 70/14
n
=5

CHEMICAL EQUATION
a) Zinc + Hydrochloric acid Zinc chloride + hydrogen
Zn(s) + 2HCl(aq) ZnCl2(aq) + H2(g)
b) Aluminium + Copper(II) oxide Aluminium oxide +
Copper
2Al(s) + 3CuO(s) Al2O3(s) + 3Cu(s)
c) Iron(III) oxide + Hydrogen gas Iron + water
Fe2O3(s) + 3H2(g) 2Fe(s) + 3H2O(g)

COMMON CHEMICAL FORMULA

CATION
Sodium ion, Na+
Potassium ion, K+
Calcium ion, Ca2+
Magnesium ion, Mg2+
Copper(I) ion, Cu+
Copper(II) ion, Cu2+
Aluminium ion, Al3+
Na+

Cl-

+1

+1

ANION
Chloride ion, Cl Bromide ion, Br Hydroxide ion, OH Nitrate ion, NO3Oxide ion, O2 Sulphate ion, SO42

Carbonate ionCO32-

Mg2+
+2

Cl-1