A materials scientist analyzed two separate laboratory-prepared samples of a white…
CHEMISTRY · Multi-part · CBSE · Chemistry · Some Basic Concepts of Chemistry · Some Basic Concepts of Chemistry
Problem
A materials scientist analyzed two separate laboratory-prepared samples of a white crystalline solid suspected to be magnesium oxide. The measured masses are summarized below.
Sample A: 2.40 g Mg and 1.60 g O
Sample B: 3.60 g Mg and 2.40 g O
Assume that only magnesium and oxygen are present in each sample.
(a) Calculate the mass ratio of Mg to O for each sample and express each ratio to three significant figures.
(b) Describe how the calculated ratios provide evidence for or against the expectation that both samples are the same compound.
(c) A third sample produced in a separate experiment was found to contain 2.50 g Mg and 2.10 g O. Explain two plausible experimental reasons why this third sample might not exhibit the same mass ratio as Samples A and B.