To calculate the molar mass of sodium sulfate (Na2SO4), we need to consider the atomic masses of each element in the compound and how many atoms of each are present.
The formula Na2SO4 consists of:
- 2 sodium (Na) atoms
- 1 sulfur (S) atom
- 4 oxygen (O) atoms
Using the following approximate atomic masses:
- Sodium (Na): 23 g/mol
- Sulfur (S): 32 g/mol
- Oxygen (O): 16 g/mol
We can calculate the molar mass of Na2SO4 as follows:
Molar mass of Na2SO4 = (2 × Atomic mass of Na) + (1 × Atomic mass of S) + (4 × Atomic mass of O)
Substituting the values:
Molar mass of Na2SO4 = (2 × 23 g/mol) + (1 × 32 g/mol) + (4 × 16 g/mol)
= 46 g/mol + 32 g/mol + 64 g/mol
= 142 g/mol
Thus, the molar mass of sodium sulfate (Na2SO4) is 142 g/mol.