What is the mass ratio of hydrogen to oxygen in a water molecule?
- A. 2:3
- B. 1:8
- C. 1:4
- D. 1:16
Answer: B. 1:8
The mass ratio of hydrogen to oxygen in a water molecule is 1:8 .
- A water molecule (H₂O) consists of two hydrogen atoms (H) and one oxygen atom (O).
- The atomic mass of hydrogen is approximately 1 g/mol, while the atomic mass of oxygen is approximately 16 g/mol.
- To calculate the mass ratio, we simply divide the total mass of hydrogen by the total mass of oxygen in a water molecule.
- Therefore, the mass ratio of hydrogen to oxygen in a water molecule is (2 x 1 g/mol) / (1 x 16 g/mol) = 2/16 = 1/8.