The molar mass of acetylsalicylic acid, commonly known as aspirin, is approximately 180.16 g/mol.
To break it down, acetylsalicylic acid has the chemical formula C9H8O4. This means it consists of 9 carbon atoms, 8 hydrogen atoms, and 4 oxygen atoms. By calculating the molar mass, we add up the atomic masses of each element based on the number of atoms present in the formula:
- Carbon (C): 12.01 g/mol × 9 = 108.99 g/mol
- Hydrogen (H): 1.008 g/mol × 8 = 8.064 g/mol
- Oxygen (O): 16.00 g/mol × 4 = 64.00 g/mol
Now, we sum these values:
108.99 g/mol + 8.064 g/mol + 64.00 g/mol = 180.16 g/mol.
This total gives us the molar mass of acetylsalicylic acid, which is important for a variety of applications in pharmaceuticals and chemistry.