For many years chloroform \(\left(\mathrm{CHCl}_{3}\right)\) was used as an inhalation anesthetic in spite of the fact that it is also a toxic substance that may cause severe liver, kidney, and heart damage. Calculate the percent composition by mass of this compound.

Short Answer

Expert verified
The percent composition by mass of Carbon, Hydrogen, and Chlorine in chloroform can be calculated using the aforementioned steps. The actual percentages would depend on the atomic weights used.

Step by step solution

01

Calculate the molecular mass of chloroform

First, lookup the atomic masses of Carbon (C), Hydrogen (H), and Chlorine (Cl) on the periodic table. The molecular mass is the sum of the atomic masses of all atoms in the molecule. So, for chloroform \(\left(\mathrm{CHCl}_{3}\right)\), it will be the atomic mass of C plus the atomic mass of H plus three times the atomic mass of Cl.
02

Calculate the individual percentage by mass of each element

Next, divide the atomic mass of each element by the molecular mass of the compound and then multiply the result by 100 to get the percent composition by mass for each element. Perform these calculations for Carbon, Hydrogen, and Chlorine separately.
03

Verify your result

The sum of the percent compositions of all elements in the compound should add up to 100%. If they do not, there may be a computational mistake that needs to be rectified.

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