Question

When 100 g of C6H16N2 (used in nylon) are decomposed, 62.01 g of C, 13.87 g of H, and 24.11 g of N are produced. Find the percent composition.

Answer 1

Percent is part of a whole or sometimes referred to as part over whole. This can be written in fraction form where the part is in the numerator and the whole is in the numerator. Usually in chemistry, percents are in moles. However, I think percent composition is in mass, which is given in your question (100g). (If you add up the masses it actually equals 99.99) so for carbon your equation would be \[\frac{ 62.01gC }{ 100gC6H16N2 }\] you would do the same for the other elements.