Question

Find the formula of vanadium oxide if 2.73 g of the oxide contains 1.53 g of the metal.(v=51,0=16)

Answer 1

Moles of vanadium=3.054⋅g50.9415⋅g⋅mol−1=0.0600⋅mol. Moles of oxygen=5.454⋅g−3.054⋅g16.00⋅g⋅mol−1=0.150⋅mol. We divide thru by the smallest molar quantity to get a trial empirical formula of V1O0.150⋅mol0.0600⋅mol=VO2.5. But by definition, the empirical formula is the simplest WHOLE