Answer: Molar mass of ethylene (C2H4) is 28.05 g/mol.
Molar Mass of Ethylene
Ethylene (C2H4), also known as ethene, is a colorless and flammable gas with a faint odor, widely used in the chemical industry. It is the simplest alkene and plays a critical role in the production of plastics, particularly polyethylene, and serves as a plant hormone for ripening fruits. Understanding its molar mass is essential in both industrial and laboratory settings for various chemical processes.
This guide will show you how to calculate the molar mass of ethylene with a detailed step-by-step approach and explain its importance in chemical reactions and industrial applications.
Understanding Molar Mass
Molar mass is 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 or atoms. Molar mass is used in chemistry to convert between the mass of a substance and the number of moles, which is critical in stoichiometric calculations.
To calculate the molar mass of ethylene (C2H4), we need to account for the molar masses of carbon (C) and hydrogen (H), since ethylene contains two carbon atoms and four hydrogen atoms.
Molar Masses of Carbon and Hydrogen
Here are the molar masses of the elements that make up ethylene:
- 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 ethylene (C2H4) contains two carbon atoms and four hydrogen 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 ethylene (C2H4), the formula becomes:
\[ \text{Molar Mass of C}_2\text{H}_4 = (2 \times \text{Molar Mass of C}) + (4 \times \text{Molar Mass of H}) \]
Step-by-Step Calculation
Let’s now calculate the molar mass of ethylene step by step:
Step 1: Multiply the molar mass of carbon (C) by the number of carbon atoms in ethylene:
\[ 2 \times 12.01 \, \text{g/mol} = 24.02 \, \text{g/mol} \]
Step 2: Multiply the molar mass of hydrogen (H) by the number of hydrogen atoms in ethylene:
\[ 4 \times 1.008 \, \text{g/mol} = 4.032 \, \text{g/mol} \]
Step 3: Add the values from steps 1 and 2 to find the total molar mass of ethylene:
\[ \text{Molar Mass of C}_2\text{H}_4 = 24.02 \, \text{g/mol} + 4.032 \, \text{g/mol} \]
\[ \text{Molar Mass of C}_2\text{H}_4 = 28.05 \, \text{g/mol} \]
Final Molar Mass of Ethylene
The molar mass of ethylene (C2H4) is approximately 28.05 g/mol. This value is vital for calculating the amounts of ethylene needed in chemical reactions, industrial processes, and in the synthesis of materials like polyethylene.
Conclusion
The molar mass of ethylene (C2H4) is 28.05 g/mol, calculated by summing the molar masses of two carbon atoms and four hydrogen atoms.