Molar Mass of Zinc Phosphate

Oct 13, 2025 by talynt.org 8 views

Introduction

Chemical reactions involve the transformation of one or more substances into new substances. In this process, the reactants are converted into products, and the amount of each substance can be determined using the principles of stoichiometry. In this article, we will focus on a specific chemical reaction and determine the mass of zinc phosphate produced from a given amount of ammonium phosphate.

Chemical Reaction

The chemical reaction we will be dealing with is:

$3 ZnCl_2 + 2(NH_4)_3PO_4 \rightarrow Zn_3(PO_4)_2 + 6 NH_4Cl$

This reaction involves the reaction of zinc chloride with ammonium phosphate to produce zinc phosphate and ammonium chloride.

Given Information

We are given 3.20 grams of $(NH_4)_3PO_4$ . We need to determine the mass of $Zn_3(PO_4)_2$ produced in this reaction.

Stoichiometry

To determine the mass of zinc phosphate produced, we need to use the principles of stoichiometry. Stoichiometry is the study of the quantitative relationships between reactants and products in chemical reactions.

From the balanced chemical equation, we can see that 2 moles of $(NH_4)_3PO_4$ produce 1 mole of $Zn_3(PO_4)_2$ . We can use this information to determine the number of moles of $(NH_4)_3PO_4$ present.

Calculations

First, we need to determine the molar mass of $(NH_4)_3PO_4$ . The molar mass of $(NH_4)_3PO_4$ is:

$3(14.01) + 3(1.01) + 32.97 + 4(16.00) = 149.88 g/mol$

Next, we can calculate the number of moles of $(NH_4)_3PO_4$ present:

$moles = \frac{mass}{molar\ mass} = \frac{3.20\ g}{149.88\ g/mol} = 0.0214\ mol$

Since 2 moles of $(NH_4)_3PO_4$ produce 1 mole of $Zn_3(PO_4)_2$ , we can calculate the number of moles of $Zn_3(PO_4)_2$ produced:

$moles\ of\ Zn_3(PO_4)_2 = \frac{moles\ of\ (NH_4)_3PO_4}{2} = \frac{0.0214\ mol}{2} = 0.0107\ mol$

Molar Mass of Zinc Phosphate

The molar mass of $Zn_3(PO_4)_2$ is:

$3(65.38) + 2(30.97) + 8(16.00) = 386.98 g/mol$

Calculating Mass of Zinc Phosphate

Now that we have the number of moles of $Zn_3(PO_4)_2$ produced, we can calculate the mass of $Zn_3(PO_4)_2$ produced:

$mass = moles \times molar\ mass = 0.0107\ mol \times 386.98\ g/mol = 4.14\ g$

Conclusion

In this article, we determined the mass of zinc phosphate produced from a given amount of ammonium phosphate using the principles of stoichiometry. We calculated the number of moles of $(NH_4)_3PO_4$ present and then used the balanced chemical equation to determine the number of moles of $Zn_3(PO_4)_2$ produced. Finally, we calculated the mass of $Zn_3(PO_4)_2$ produced using the molar mass of $Zn_3(PO_4)_2$ . The mass of $Zn_3(PO_4)_2$ produced is 4.14 g.

References

Chemistry: An Atoms First Approach, by Steven S. Zumdahl
General Chemistry: Principles and Modern Applications, by Linus Pauling

Discussion

This problem requires the application of stoichiometry to determine the mass of zinc phosphate produced from a given amount of ammonium phosphate. The balanced chemical equation and the molar masses of the reactants and products are used to calculate the number of moles of $Zn_3(PO_4)_2$ produced and then the mass of $Zn_3(PO_4)_2$ produced.

Introduction

In our previous article, we determined the mass of zinc phosphate produced from a given amount of ammonium phosphate using the principles of stoichiometry. In this article, we will provide a Q&A section to help clarify any doubts and provide additional information on the topic.

Q: What is stoichiometry?

A: Stoichiometry is the study of the quantitative relationships between reactants and products in chemical reactions. It involves the use of mole ratios to determine the amounts of reactants and products in a chemical reaction.

Q: How do I determine the molar mass of a compound?

A: To determine the molar mass of a compound, you need to add up the atomic masses of all the atoms in the compound. For example, the molar mass of $(NH_4)_3PO_4$ is:

$3(14.01) + 3(1.01) + 32.97 + 4(16.00) = 149.88 g/mol$

Q: How do I calculate the number of moles of a substance?

A: To calculate the number of moles of a substance, you need to divide the mass of the substance by its molar mass. For example, if you have 3.20 g of $(NH_4)_3PO_4$ , you can calculate the number of moles as follows:

$moles = \frac{mass}{molar\ mass} = \frac{3.20\ g}{149.88\ g/mol} = 0.0214\ mol$

Q: How do I use the balanced chemical equation to determine the number of moles of a product?

A: To use the balanced chemical equation to determine the number of moles of a product, you need to look at the mole ratio between the reactants and products. In the balanced chemical equation:

$3 ZnCl_2 + 2(NH_4)_3PO_4 \rightarrow Zn_3(PO_4)_2 + 6 NH_4Cl$

2 moles of $(NH_4)_3PO_4$ produce 1 mole of $Zn_3(PO_4)_2$ . Therefore, if you have 0.0214 mol of $(NH_4)_3PO_4$ , you can calculate the number of moles of $Zn_3(PO_4)_2$ produced as follows:

$moles\ of\ Zn_3(PO_4)_2 = \frac{moles\ of\ (NH_4)_3PO_4}{2} = \frac{0.0214\ mol}{2} = 0.0107\ mol$

Q: How do I calculate the mass of a product?

A: To calculate the mass of a product, you need to multiply the number of moles of the product by its molar mass. For example, if you have 0.0107 mol of $Zn_3(PO_4)_2$ , you can calculate the mass as follows:

$mass = moles \times molar\ mass = 0.0107\ mol \times 386.98\ g/mol = 4.14\ g$

Q: What is the significance of stoichiometry in chemistry?

A: Stoichiometry is a fundamental concept in chemistry that helps us understand the quantitative relationships between reactants and products in chemical reactions. It is used to determine the amounts of reactants and products in a chemical reaction, which is essential in many fields such as chemistry, biology, and engineering.

Conclusion

In this Q&A article, we have provided answers to common questions related to the determination of mass of zinc phosphate produced in a chemical reaction. We have explained the concept of stoichiometry, how to determine the molar mass of a compound, how to calculate the number of moles of a substance, and how to use the balanced chemical equation to determine the number of moles of a product. We have also explained how to calculate the mass of a product and the significance of stoichiometry in chemistry.