Answer: Molar mass of methane (CH4) is 16.04 g/mol.
Molar Mass of Methane
The chemical formula of Methane is CH4.
The molar mass of Methane is calculated by adding the molar masses of its constituent atoms— carbon (C) and hydrogen (H).
Methane (CH4) is a simple hydrocarbon, consisting of one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms.
In this guide, we will walk through the steps involved in calculating the molar mass of methane and explain its significance in chemistry.
Understanding Molar Mass
The molar mass of a substance is the mass of one mole of its molecules, expressed in grams per mole (g/mol). A mole is a standard unit in chemistry that represents a specific number of particles—typically \(6.022 \times 10^{23}\) atoms, molecules, or ions. The molar mass allows chemists to relate the mass of a substance to the number of moles, which is useful in stoichiometry and balancing chemical equations.
To calculate the molar mass of methane (CH4), we need to consider the molar masses of both carbon (C) and hydrogen (H), as methane contains one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms.
Molar Masses of Carbon and Hydrogen
To calculate the molar mass of methane, we need to know the molar masses of the atoms it contains:
- Carbon (C): The molar mass of carbon is approximately 12.01 g/mol.
- Hydrogen (H): The molar mass of hydrogen is approximately 1.008 g/mol.
Since methane (CH4) consists of one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms, we will use these values in the calculation.
Formula for Calculating Molar Mass
The molar mass of a compound can be calculated using the following formula:
\[ \text{Molar Mass of Compound} = \sum (\text{Number of Atoms} \times \text{Molar Mass of Element}) \]
For methane (CH4), the molar mass is calculated as:
\[ \text{Molar Mass of CH}_4 = (1 \times \text{Molar Mass of C}) + (4 \times \text{Molar Mass of H}) \]
Step-by-Step Calculation
Let’s now calculate the molar mass of methane by following these steps:
Step 1: Multiply the molar mass of carbon (C) by the number of carbon atoms in a methane molecule. Since there is one carbon atom, the calculation is:
\[ 1 \times 12.01 \, \text{g/mol} = 12.01 \, \text{g/mol} \]
Step 2: Multiply the molar mass of hydrogen (H) by the number of hydrogen atoms in a methane molecule. Since there are four hydrogen atoms, the calculation is:
\[ 4 \times 1.008 \, \text{g/mol} = 4.032 \, \text{g/mol} \]
Step 3: Add the molar masses from steps 1 and 2 to find the total molar mass of methane:
\[ \text{Molar Mass of CH}_4 = 12.01 \, \text{g/mol} + 4.032 \, \text{g/mol} \]
\[ \text{Molar Mass of CH}_4 = 16.04 \, \text{g/mol} \]
Final Molar Mass of Methane
The molar mass of methane (CH4) is approximately 16.04 g/mol. This means that one mole of methane molecules weighs 16.04 grams. Knowing the molar mass of methane is essential in various chemical applications, such as calculating the amount of methane used or produced in a chemical reaction or determining the volume of methane in gas form.
Conclusion
The molar mass of methane (CH4) is 16.04 g/mol, calculated by summing the molar masses of one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms.