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Multiple Choice
Cortisol (MW = 362.47 g/mol), a known steroid hormone, is found to contain 69.6% carbon, 8.34% hydrogen, and 22.1% oxygen by mass. What is its molecular formula?
A
C21H30O5
B
C21H26O5
C
C28H46O
D
C18H24O2
Verified step by step guidance
1
Start by determining the mass of each element in 100 g of cortisol based on the given percentages: 69.6 g of carbon, 8.34 g of hydrogen, and 22.1 g of oxygen.
Convert these masses to moles using the molar mass of each element: Carbon (C) is 12.01 g/mol, Hydrogen (H) is 1.008 g/mol, and Oxygen (O) is 16.00 g/mol.
Calculate the number of moles for each element: moles of C = 69.6 g / 12.01 g/mol, moles of H = 8.34 g / 1.008 g/mol, moles of O = 22.1 g / 16.00 g/mol.
Determine the simplest whole number ratio of moles of each element by dividing each by the smallest number of moles calculated in the previous step.
Use the whole number ratio to write the empirical formula, then compare the empirical formula mass to the given molecular weight (362.47 g/mol) to find the molecular formula.