The molar mass of Calcium Oxide (CaO) is 56.0774 g/mol. This value is derived by summing the molar masses of its constituent elements, calcium (Ca) and oxygen (O).
Understanding Molar Mass
Molar mass is a fundamental concept in chemistry, representing the mass of one mole of a substance. It is typically expressed in grams per mole (g/mol). For compounds, the molar mass is calculated by adding the atomic masses of all the atoms present in its chemical formula.
Calculating the Molar Mass of CaO
To determine the molar mass of Calcium Oxide (CaO), we simply add the molar mass of one calcium atom to the molar mass of one oxygen atom.
Elemental Molar Masses
Based on standard atomic weights, the individual molar masses are:
- Calcium (Ca): 40.078 g/mol
- Oxygen (O): 15.9994 g/mol
Step-by-Step Calculation
The calculation for CaO is straightforward as there is one atom of each element in the formula:
- Identify the elements and their quantities: In CaO, there is 1 atom of Calcium (Ca) and 1 atom of Oxygen (O).
- Obtain their molar masses:
- Molar mass of Ca = 40.078 g/mol
- Molar mass of O = 15.9994 g/mol
- Sum the molar masses:
| Element | Number of Atoms | Molar Mass (g/mol) | Total Mass (g/mol) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calcium | 1 | 40.078 | 40.078 |
| Oxygen | 1 | 15.9994 | 15.9994 |
| Total | 56.0774 |
Therefore, the molar mass of CaO is calculated as:
40.078 g/mol (Ca) + 15.9994 g/mol (O) = 56.0774 g/mol
This precise value is crucial for various chemical calculations, such as determining the mass of reactants or products in a chemical reaction, or for preparing solutions of specific concentrations.
