To calculate the molecular weight of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃), you need to know the atomic weights of each element in the compound. Here’s how you can do it step by step:
1. **Identify the elements and their atomic weights:**
– Sodium (Na): 22.99
– Hydrogen (H): 1.01
– Carbon (C): 12.01
– Oxygen (O): 16.00
2. **Count the number of atoms for each element in the compound:**
– Sodium (Na): 1 atom
– Hydrogen (H): 1 atom
– Carbon (C): 1 atom
– Oxygen (O): 3 atoms
3. **Multiply the atomic weight of each element by the number of atoms:**
– Sodium (Na): 22.99 × 1 = 22.99
– Hydrogen (H): 1.01 × 1 = 1.01
– Carbon (C): 12.01 × 1 = 12.01
– Oxygen (O): 16.00 × 3 = 48.00
4. **Add up the results to get the molecular weight:**
– 22.99 (Na) + 1.01 (H) + 12.01 (C) + 48.00 (O) = 84.01
So, the molecular weight of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃) is **84.01 g/mol**.