The question is incomplete, here is its complete form:
There are two binary compounds of mercury and oxygen. Heating either of them results in the decomposition of the compound, with oxygen gas escaping into the atmosphere while leaving a residue of pure mercury. Heating 0.6498 g of one of the compounds leaves a residue of 0.6018 g. Heating 0.4172 g of the other compound results in a mass loss of 0.016 g. Determine the empirical formula of each compound.
Answer:
HgO and Hg2O
Explanation:
Let's start with the first compound. It is made of 0.6018 g mercury and 0.048 g oxygen which adds up to the 0.6498 g in the question
Mercury Oxygen
0.6018/200.59 0.048/16 [divide each mass by relative molar masses]
0.003 0.003 [then we divide both by 0.003]
1 1
Now we go to the second compound
Mercury Oxygen
0.4012/200.59 0.016/16 [divide each mass by relative molar masses]
0.002 0.001 [then we divide both by 0.001]
2 1
