Question

Antibacterial Soap Triclosan is an antibacterial agent included in detergents, dish soaps, laundry soaps, deodorants, cosmetics, lotions, creams, toothpastes, and mouthwashes. The chemical formula for triclosan is $\mathrm{C}_{12} \mathrm{H}_{7} \mathrm{Cl}_{3} \mathrm{O}_{2} .$ What information did the chemist need to determine this formula?

Name: Problem 158, Chapter 10: Chemistry Matter and Change
Uploaded: 2020-06-26T00:58:39-08:00
Duration: 1 min
Channel: Rithvik Manne
Description: Antibacterial Soap Triclosan is an antibacterial agent included in detergents, dish soaps, laundry soaps, deodorants, cosmetics, lotions, creams, toothpastes, and mouthwashes. The chemical formula for triclosan is C12 H7 Cl3 O2 . What information did the chemist need to determine this formula?

   Antibacterial Soap Triclosan is an antibacterial agent
included in detergents, dish soaps, laundry soaps,
deodorants, cosmetics, lotions, creams, toothpastes, and
mouthwashes. The chemical formula for triclosan is
$\mathrm{C}_{12} \mathrm{H}_{7} \mathrm{Cl}_{3} \mathrm{O}_{2} .$ What information did the chemist need
to determine this formula?

Chemistry Matter and Change

Thandi Buthelezi,… 1st Edition

Chapter 10, Problem 158

Instant Answer

Solved by Expert Rithvik Manne

06/26/2020

Step 1

This is the percentage by mass of each element in the compound. This can be determined through various methods such as combustion analysis. Show more…

Show all steps

Thanks for your feedback!

Antibacterial Soap Triclosan is an antibacterial agent included in detergents, dish soaps, laundry soaps, deodorants, cosmetics, lotions, creams, toothpastes, and mouthwashes. The chemical formula for triclosan is $\mathrm{C}_{12} \mathrm{H}_{7} \mathrm{Cl}_{3} \mathrm{O}_{2} .$ What information did the chemist need to determine this formula?

Play audio

Feedback

Rithvik Manne and 76 other subject Chemistry 101 educators are ready to help you.

Ask a new question

Labs

Want to see this concept in action?

NEW

Explore this concept interactively to see how it behaves as you change inputs.

View Labs

Key Concepts

Empirical and Molecular Formula Determination

Once the moles of each element are calculated, the chemist determines the empirical formula by finding the simplest whole-number ratio of these moles. Additionally, if the molecular mass of the compound is known from techniques such as mass spectrometry, the empirical formula can be scaled to determine the actual molecular formula.

Atomic Weights

The atomic weights of the individual elements are needed to convert the mass percentage obtained from elemental analysis into the number of moles. This conversion is essential for determining the simplest whole-number ratio of atoms within the compound.

Elemental Analysis

Elemental analysis is used to determine the percent composition by mass of each element in a compound. This data is crucial because it provides the ratios of the atoms present in the substance, which is the basis for calculating the empirical formula.

Please give Ace some feedback