Stoichiometry:

Calculations with Chemical

Formula and Equations

Stoichiometry
Learning Objectives:
1. Describe the types of relationships
indicated by a balanced chemical equation.
2. Calculate the following concepts in a given
reaction.
a. molecular/formula mass
b. Percent Composition
c. Empirical formula

Stoichiometry
STOICHIOMETRY - deals with the numerical
relationships of elements and compounds and
the mathematical proportions of reactants and
products in chemical transformations.

Stoichiometry
 Anatomy of a Chemical Equation

CH4 (g) + 2O2 (g) CO2 (g) + 2 H2O (g)

Stoichiometry
 Anatomy of a Chemical Equation

CH4 (g) + 2 O2 (g) CO2 (g) + 2 H2O (g)

Reactants appear on the

left side of the equation. Stoichiometry
Anatomy of a Chemical Equation

CH4 (g) + 2 O2 (g) CO2 (g) + 2 H2O (g)

Products appear on the

right side of the equation.
Stoichiometry
 Anatomy of a Chemical Equation

CH4 (g) + 2 O2 (g) CO2 (g) + 2 H2O (g)

The states of the reactants and products

are written in parentheses to the right of Stoichiometry
each compound.
 Anatomy of a Chemical Equation

CH4 (g) + 2 O2 (g) CO2 (g) + 2 H2O (g)

Coefficients are inserted to

balance the equation. Stoichiometry
Subscripts and Coefficients Give
Different Information

• Subscripts tell the number of atoms of

each element in a molecule Stoichiometry
 Subscripts and Coefficients Give
Different Information

• Subscripts tell the number of atoms of each element in

a molecule
• Coefficients tell the number of molecules (compounds).
Stoichiometry
Reaction
Types
Stoichiometry
 Combination Reactions
• Two or more
substances
react to form
one product

• Examples:
N2 (g) + 3 H2 (g)  2 NH3 (g)
C3H6 (g) + Br2 (l)  C3H6Br2 (l)
Stoichiometry
2 Mg (s) + O2 (g)  2 MgO (s)
2 Mg (s) + O2 (g)  2 MgO (s)

Stoichiometry
 Decomposition Reactions
• One substance breaks down into two or more
substances

• Examples:
CaCO3 (s)  CaO (s) + CO2 (g)
2 KClO3 (s)  2 KCl (s) + O2 (g)
2 NaN3 (s)  2 Na (s) + 3 N2 (g)

Stoichiometry
 Combustion Reactions
• Rapid reactions that have
oxygen as a reactant sometimes
produce a flame.

• Most often involve hydrocarbons

reacting with oxygen in the air to
produce CO2 and H2O.

• Examples:
CH4 (g) + 2 O2 (g)  CO2 (g) + 2 H2O (g)
C3H8 (g) + 5 O2 (g)  3 CO2 (g) + 4 H2O (g)
Stoichiometry
2H2 + O2 ------- 2H2O
Formula/Molecular
Weights/Mass

Stoichiometry
 The amu unit
• Because the masses of atoms and subatomic particles are so
small, a convenient unit to use is the amu.
• A unit of mass used to express atomic and molecular
weights/mass.
• A physical constant that is accepted for use in the SI
measurement system.
• 1 amu = 1.6605 x 10-24 g
• 1/12 mass of the 12C isotope.
• 12C = 12 amu
• The masses of the proton and neutron are approximately 1 amu.
Stoichiometry
 Formula Mass (FM)
• Sum of the atomic mass for the atoms in a
chemical formula
• So, the formula Mass of calcium chloride,
CaCl2, would be
Ca: 1(40.1 amu)
+ Cl: 2(35.5 amu)
111.1 amu

• These are generally reported for ionic

compounds
Stoichiometry
 Molecular Mass (MM)
• Sum of the atomic weights/mass of the
atoms in a molecule
• For the molecule ethane, C2H6, the
molecular weight would be

C: 2 (12.0 amu)
+ H: 6 (1.0 amu)
30.0 amu
Stoichiometry
 Percent Composition

One can find the percentage of the mass

of a compound that comes from each of
the elements in the compound by using
this equation:

(number of atoms)(atomic weight)

% element = x 100
(FM or MM of the compound)

Stoichiometry
 Percent Composition

So the percentage of carbon and hydrogen

in ethane (C2H6, molecular mass = 30.0)
is:
(2)(12.0 amu) 24.0 amu
%C = = x 100 = 80.0%
(30.0 amu) 30.0 amu

(6)(1.01 amu) 6.06 amu

%H = = x 100 = 20.0%
(30.0 amu) 30.0 amu

Stoichiometry
 Exercise:

1. Calculate the percentage by mass of the

indicated elements in each of the following
compounds:
a.Sodium in sodium azide, NaN3; used in
automobile air bags.
b.Aluminum in aluminum oxide, Al2O3; the naturally
occurring mineral corundum.
c.Nitrogen and Oxygen in dopamine, C8H11O2N; a
neurotransmitter in the brain.
Stoichiometry
 Finding
Empirical
Formula
Stoichiometry
Review

• We learned how to calculate the molar mass

of compounds.
Calculate the molar mass of Ca(CN)2.
• 1 x Ca = 1 x 40.08 g/mol = 40.08 g/mol
• 2 x C = 2 x 12.01 g/mol = 24.02 g/mol
• 2 x N = 2 x 14.01 g/mol = 28.02 g/mol
TOTAL = 92.12 g/mol

Stoichiometry
Review

• We also learned how to determine the

percentage composition of a compound.
– Calculate the % composition of Ca(CN)2.
%Ca = (40.08)/(92.12) x 100% = 43.51% Ca
%C = (24.02)/(92.12) x 100% = 26.07% C
%N = (28.02)/(92.12) x 100% = 30.42% N

Stoichiometry
 Empirical Formulas
• Molecular Formula (MF) - shows how
many atoms are actually in a molecule.
– EXAMPLE: Glucose has the MF C6H12O6.
– EXAMPLE: Water has the MF H2O.

O
H H Stoichiometry
 Empirical Formulas
• Empirical Formula (EF) - shows the
lowest whole-number ratio of atoms in a
compound.
EXAMPLE: Glucose has the EF CH2O.
EXAMPLE: Water has the EF H2O.
• Different compounds can have different MFs but
have the same EF.
–EXAMPLE: NO2 and N2O4 have different MFs
but the same EF (NO2).
Stoichiometry
 Empirical Formulas

• You can discover the empirical formula of a

compound if you know the % composition.
– Will NOT tell you which molecular formula is
correct!

Stoichiometry
Calculating Empirical Formulas

One can calculate the empirical formula from the

percent composition.

Stoichiometry
 Calculating Empirical Formulas

The compound para-aminobenzoic acid (you may have

seen it listed as PABA on your bottle of sunscreen) is
composed of carbon (61.31%), hydrogen (5.14%),
nitrogen (10.21%), and oxygen (23.33%). Find the
empirical formula of PABA.

Stoichiometry
Calculating Empirical Formulas

Assuming 100.00 g of para-aminobenzoic acid,

C: 61.31 g x 1 mol = 5.105 mol C

12.01 g
1 mol
H: 5.14 g x = 5.09 mol H
1.01 g
1 mol
N: 10.21 g x = 0.7288 mol N
14.01 g
1 mol
O: 23.33 g x = 1.456 mol O
16.00 g

Stoichiometry
 Calculating Empirical Formulas
Calculate the mole ratio by dividing by the smallest number
of moles:
5.105 mol
C: = 7.005  7
0.7288 mol

5.09 mol
H: = 6.984  7
0.7288 mol

0.7288 mol
N: = 1.000
0.7288 mol

1.458 mol
O: = 2.001  2
0.7288 mol Stoichiometry
Calculating Empirical Formulas

These are the subscripts for the empirical formula:

C7H7NO2

Stoichiometry
Elemental Analyses

Compounds
containing other
elements are
analyzed using
methods analogous
to those used for C,
H and O

Stoichiometry
Exercise:
Answer the following problems comprehensively:

1.Benzoic acid contains 68.8% carbon, 4.95% hydrogen,

and 26.25% oxygen. What is Its empirical formula?

2.Freons are gaseous compounds used in refrigeration. A

particular Freon contains 9.93% carbon, 58.64% chlorine,
and 31.43% fluorine. What is the empirical formula?

Stoichiometry
Quiz
Answer the following problems comprehensively:
1.Benzoic acid contains 68.8% carbon, 4.95% hydrogen, and
26.25% oxygen. What is Its empirical formula?
2.Determine the percent composition of Ca3(PO4)2.
3.Freons are gaseous compounds used in refrigeration. A
particular Freon contains 9.93% carbon,58.64% chlorine, and
31.43% fluorine. What is the empirical formula?
4.What is the percentage composition by mass of Fe(NO3)2?
5.A compound contains 50% magnesium, 24.0% carbon,
16.0% oxygen and 10.0% hydrogen. What is the empirical
formula of the compound?
Stoichiometry