The mass fraction of a component in a mixture is calculated by dividing the mass of that component by the total mass of the mixture.
Understanding Mass Fraction
Mass fraction is a way to express the composition of a mixture by indicating what fraction of the total mass is made up by each constituent. It is a dimensionless quantity, often expressed as a decimal or percentage. This value provides a clear picture of how much of each substance is present relative to the total mixture.
Calculation Steps
Here's how to calculate mass fraction, based on information from the reference video:
- Determine the mass of each component in the mixture. This involves gathering the individual masses of all substances present in the mixture.
- Calculate the total mass of the mixture. This is achieved by summing the masses of each component.
- Calculate the mass fraction of each component:
- Divide the mass of the individual component by the total mass of the mixture.
- The resulting fraction represents the mass fraction of that specific component.
Formula for Mass Fraction
The mass fraction for a specific component can be represented by the following equation:
Mass Fraction = (Mass of the component) / (Total mass of the mixture)
Example Calculation:
Let's consider a mixture as described in the reference video, consisting of:
- 70 grams of water
- 30 grams of copper
To calculate the mass fraction:
- Total mass: 70 grams (water) + 30 grams (copper) = 100 grams
- Mass fraction of water: 70 grams / 100 grams = 0.7 or 70%
- Mass fraction of copper: 30 grams / 100 grams = 0.3 or 30%
Practical insights
- The sum of mass fractions of all components in a mixture will always equal 1 (or 100%).
- Mass fraction is a useful parameter for quantifying the composition of mixtures in many areas, including chemistry, physics and engineering.
| Component | Mass (g) | Mass Fraction |
|---|---|---|
| Water | 70 | 0.7 |
| Copper | 30 | 0.3 |
| Total | 100 | 1 |
