Question

What is the molar mass of `CH_4`?

Answer 1

The molar mass should be `16.04 \ "g/mol"`.

Explanation:

To find the molar mass of any compound, we multiply all the elements inside the compound by its subscripts and their molar masses, which is their atomic mass, but in `"g/mol"`, as `1 \ "amu"=1 \ "g/mol"`.

And so,

`m_(CH_4)=m_C+m_(H_4)`

`=>m_(CH_4)=m_C+4m_H`

On the periodic table, carbon has a molar mass of `12.0107 \ "g/mol"`, while hydrogen has a molar mass of `1.00794 \ "g/mol"`.

Therefore, the molar mass is,

`m_(CH_4)=(12.0107+4*1.00794) \ "g/mol"`

`=16.04246 \ "g/mol"`

`~~16.04 \ "g/mol"`