Exercise 9.3
A compound consists of % sulfur and % oxygen by mass. In a sample of the same compound containing g of sulfur, what mass of oxygen must be present to satisfy the Law of Constant Proportions?
NCERT’s answer
$\displaystyle 30$ g
Oxygen present = $\displaystyle 30$ g.
A compound has a fixed composition, so sulfur : oxygen \(\displaystyle = 40 : 60 = 2 : 3\) by mass in every sample of it.
Mass of oxygen \(\displaystyle = \dfrac{60}{40} \times 20 = \dfrac{3}{2} \times 20 = 30\) g.
Check: total sample \(\displaystyle = 20 + 30 = 50\) g, so sulfur is \(\displaystyle \dfrac{20}{50} \times 100 = 40\%\) and oxygen \(\displaystyle \dfrac{30}{50} \times 100 = 60\%\) — as stated.