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Topic: Elemental Composition of a Binary Mixture  (Read 4729 times)

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Offline FANTASICAL

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Elemental Composition of a Binary Mixture
« on: October 25, 2009, 10:18:24 PM »
Question

A white powder, consisting of a simple mixture of tartaric acid (C4H6O6) and citric acid (C6H8O7) was analysed to determine the elemental composition. Combustion of a 726.3-mg sample produced 883.6 mg of CO2 and 263.9 mg of H2O.

How would I find the % citric acid, by mass, in the sample without being given the % of tartaric acid?

heres the balanced equation if needed:

7 O2 + C4H6O6 + C6H8O7 --> 10 CO2 + 7 H2O
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Offline Borek

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Re: Elemental Composition of a Binary Mixture
« Reply #1 on: October 26, 2009, 04:52:05 AM »
Assume there were x mg of citric acid.

How many mg of tartaric acid?

How many mg of CO2 produced from x mg of citric acid?

How many mg of CO2 produced from the tartaric acid?

Seems to me like there is an equation with one unknown here.
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Offline DrCMS

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Re: Elemental Composition of a Binary Mixture
« Reply #2 on: October 26, 2009, 09:46:00 AM »
Quote from: FANTASICAL on October 25, 2009, 10:18:24 PM
heres the balanced equation if needed:

7 O2 + C4H6O6 + C6H8O7 --> 10 CO2 + 7 H2O

No that is the balanced equation if there is equimolar amounts of the two acids. 
You need to turn it into a balanced equation for each acid and then follow Borek's advice
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