Question

Write the name of the following compound and deduce its molecular mass.

NaHCO₃

Answer 1

NaHCO₃ - Sodium bicarbonate

Molecule	Constituent elements	Atomic mass u	Number of atoms in the molecule	Atomic mass × number of atoms	Mass of the Constituents u
NaHCO3	Na	23	1	23 × 1	23
	H	1	1	1 × 1	1
	C	12	1	12 × 1	12
	O	16	3	16 × 3	48

The molecular mass of NaHCO₃ = Sum of Constituent atomic masses

(Molecular mass of NaHCO₃) = (Atomic mass of Na) × 1 + (Atomic mass of H) × 1 + (Atomic mass of C) × 1 + (Atomic mass of O) × 3

= (23 × 1) + (1 × 1) + (12 × 1) + (16 × 3)

= 23 + 1 + 12 + 48

= 84 u