What is the Molar Mass of Chloroform

Answer: Molar mass of chloroform (CHCl₃) is 119.38 g/mol.

Molar Mass of Chloroform

The chemical formula of Chloroform is CHCl₃. The molar mass of Chloroform is calculated by adding the molar masses of its constituent atoms— carbon(C), hydrogen (H), and Chlorine (Cl).

Chloroform (CHCl₃), also known as trichloromethane, is a volatile organic compound widely used as a solvent and formerly as an anesthetic.

This guide will walk you through the step-by-step calculation of the molar mass of chloroform and explain its significance in various applications.

Understanding Molar Mass

Molar mass is defined as the mass of one mole of a substance, expressed in grams per mole (g/mol). A mole represents \(6.022 \times 10^{23}\) particles, such as molecules, atoms, or ions. Calculating the molar mass is crucial for determining the amount of a substance needed in chemical reactions and for converting between grams and moles.

To calculate the molar mass of chloroform (CHCl₃), we need to consider the molar masses of carbon (C), hydrogen (H), and chlorine (Cl), as chloroform contains one carbon atom, one hydrogen atom, and three chlorine atoms.

Molar Masses of Carbon, Hydrogen, and Chlorine

Here are the molar masses of the elements present in chloroform:

• 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.
• Chlorine (Cl): The molar mass of chlorine is approximately 35.45 g/mol.

Since chloroform (CHCl₃) contains one carbon atom, one hydrogen atom, and three chlorine atoms, we will use these values to calculate its molar mass.

Formula for Calculating Molar Mass

The molar mass of a compound is calculated using the following formula:

\[ \text{Molar Mass of Compound} = \sum (\text{Number of Atoms} \times \text{Molar Mass of Element}) \]

For chloroform (CHCl₃), the formula becomes:

\[ \text{Molar Mass of CHCl}_3 = (1 \times \text{Molar Mass of C}) + (1 \times \text{Molar Mass of H}) + (3 \times \text{Molar Mass of Cl}) \]

Step-by-Step Calculation

Let’s now calculate the molar mass of chloroform step by step:

Step 1: Multiply the molar mass of carbon (C) by the number of carbon atoms in chloroform:

\[ 1 \times 12.01 \, \text{g/mol} = 12.01 \, \text{g/mol} \]

Step 2: Multiply the molar mass of hydrogen (H) by the number of hydrogen atoms in chloroform:

\[ 1 \times 1.008 \, \text{g/mol} = 1.008 \, \text{g/mol} \]

Step 3: Multiply the molar mass of chlorine (Cl) by the number of chlorine atoms in chloroform:

\[ 3 \times 35.45 \, \text{g/mol} = 106.35 \, \text{g/mol} \]

Step 4: Add the values from steps 1, 2, and 3 to find the total molar mass of chloroform:

\[ \text{Molar Mass of CHCl}_3 = 12.01 \, \text{g/mol} + 1.008 \, \text{g/mol} + 106.35 \, \text{g/mol} \]

\[ \text{Molar Mass of CHCl}_3 = 119.38 \, \text{g/mol} \]

Final Molar Mass of Chloroform

The molar mass of chloroform (CHCl₃) is approximately 119.38 g/mol. This value is crucial for various chemical and industrial applications, especially in determining the amount of chloroform needed for a reaction or preparing solutions with specific concentrations.

Conclusion

The molar mass of chloroform (CHCl₃) is 119.38 g/mol, calculated by summing the molar masses of one carbon atom, one hydrogen atom, and three chlorine atoms.