Methyl salicylate is a common active ingredient in liniments such as ben-gay. It is also known as oil of wintergreen. It is made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms. When a sample of methyl salicylate weighing 5.287 g is burned in excess oxygen, 12.24 g of carbon dioxide and 2.505 g of water are formed. What is the simplist formula for oil of wintergreen

The empirical formula is .

Explanation:

The chemical equation for the combustion of hydrocarbon having carbon, hydrogen and oxygen follows:

where, 'x', 'y' and 'z' are the subscripts of Carbon, hydrogen and oxygen respectively.

We are given:

Mass of = 12.24 g

Mass of = 2.505 g

Molar mass of carbon dioxide = 44 g/mol

Molar mass of water = 18 g/mol

For calculating the mass of carbon:

In 44g of carbon dioxide, 12 g of carbon is contained.

So, in 12.24 g of carbon dioxide, = of carbon will be contained.

For calculating the mass of hydrogen:

In 18g of water, 2 g of hydrogen is contained.

So, in 2.505 g of water, = of hydrogen will be contained.

Mass of oxygen in the compound = (5.287) - (3.338+0.278) = 1.671  g

Step 1 : convert given masses into moles.

Moles of C =

Moles of H=

Moles of O=

Step 2 : For the mole ratio, divide each value of moles by the smallest number of moles calculated.

For C =

For H =

For O =

The ratio of C : H : O = 3: 3: 1

Hence the empirical formula is .

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