How do you solve for volume to volume conversions and empirical formula?

Question

3. A borane is a compound containing only boron and hydrogen. If a borane is found to contain 88.45% boron, what is its empirical formula? The molecular mass or weight of borane is 13.83 g/mol. Find its molecular formula.

Answer 1

Hi Jaida P.,

What's with the "volume to volume conversions" in your question? Can't you even take the time to re-write your questions coherently? Please?

Empirical formula is a breeze. Write the weight% of each element -- you have the B, the H = 100% - that.

Then divide each of those % values by the atomic mass of that element. Look it up, it you don't already know it? Get it as exact as your source gives!

That gives you two values which represent the ratio of the number of atoms of each element in the specified borane (and, by the way, there are MANY boranes, and they are fascinating beasts!). But you want whole numbers, please! So divide the bigger value of the two by the smaller value of the two. Most likely, that will result in integers (or insignificantly different than integers), but if one of the values is close to an integer+(1/2), multiply both values by 2, and if one of the values is close to an integer+(1/3), multiply both values by 3, etc-- Cheers, --Mr. d.