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Ch.3 - Molecules and Compounds
Chapter 3, Problem 84

Copper(II) fluoride contains 37.42% F by mass. Calculate the mass of fluorine (in g) in 23.8 g of copper(II) fluoride.

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1
Identify the percentage of fluorine in copper(II) fluoride, which is given as 37.42%.
Convert the percentage to a decimal by dividing by 100, resulting in 0.3742.
Multiply the decimal form of the percentage by the total mass of copper(II) fluoride to find the mass of fluorine: 0.3742 * 23.8 g.
Set up the multiplication to calculate the mass of fluorine in grams.
Perform the multiplication to find the mass of fluorine in the given sample of copper(II) fluoride.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Mass Percent Composition

Mass percent composition is a way to express the concentration of an element in a compound, calculated as the mass of the element divided by the total mass of the compound, multiplied by 100. In this case, knowing that copper(II) fluoride contains 37.42% fluorine by mass allows us to determine how much of a given mass of the compound is due to fluorine.
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Calculating Mass from Percent Composition

To find the mass of an element in a compound using its percent composition, you multiply the total mass of the compound by the mass percent (expressed as a decimal). For example, if you have 23.8 g of copper(II) fluoride, you would calculate the mass of fluorine by taking 23.8 g and multiplying it by 0.3742 (the decimal form of 37.42%).
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Unit Conversion

Unit conversion is essential in chemistry for ensuring that measurements are in the correct units for calculations. In this context, while the mass of copper(II) fluoride is given in grams, understanding how to convert between different units (if necessary) is crucial for accurate calculations, especially when dealing with larger or smaller quantities.
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