Determining the Number of Moles of Oxygen in One Mole of Al2(SO4)3

Understanding the composition of various chemical compounds through their chemical formulae is a fundamental skill in chemistry. One such example is the determination of the number of moles of oxygen in one mole of aluminum sulfate (Al2(SO4)3). This article will walk you through the step-by-step process to determine the amount of oxygen present in one mole of this compound.

Identifying the Chemical Formula Components

The chemical formula for aluminum sulfate, Al2(SO4)3, consists of several elements:

Aluminum (Al): Two aluminum atoms per molecule. Sulfate (SO4): Three sulfate groups per molecule.

Counting the Oxygen Atoms in the Sulfate Groups

Each sulfate ion (SO4) contains four oxygen atoms. Since there are three sulfate groups in the formula, the total number of oxygen atoms is calculated as follows:

3 sulfate ions × 4 oxygen atoms per sulfate ion 12 oxygen atoms

Consequently, one mole of Al2(SO4)3 contains 12 moles of oxygen atoms.

Breakdown of the Molecule

To further break down the molecule, we can examine its components more closely:

Aluminum: 2 moles Sulfate ions: 3 moles Oxygen atoms: 12 moles

This breakdown confirms that each molecule of aluminum sulfate contains 12 oxygen atoms, and thus one mole of aluminum sulfate contains 12 moles of oxygen atoms.

Confirmation of the Mole Calculation

To double-check our calculation, we can use the molecular structure of the compound:

1 molecule of Al2(SO4)3 contains 3 sulfate ions. Each sulfate ion contains 4 oxygen atoms. Total oxygen atoms: 3 sulfate ions × 4 oxygen atoms per sulfate ion 12 oxygen atoms.

Therefore, one mole of Al2(SO4)3 contains 12 moles of oxygen atoms, verifying our initial calculation.

In summary, for one mole of aluminum sulfate (Al2(SO4)3), we have:

2 moles of aluminum (Al) 3 moles of sulfate ions (SO42-) 12 moles of oxygen (O)

This detailed analysis provides a clear understanding of the composition of this chemical compound, which is crucial for various applications in chemistry and related fields.