Calculate the Percent Composition of Silicon in Silicon Carbide

What is the percent composition of silicon in silicon carbide (SiC)?

Final answer:

The percent composition of silicon in silicon carbide (SiC) is approximately 69.91%.

The percent composition of an element in a compound is calculated by dividing the mass of the element by the total mass of the compound and multiplying by 100.

In the case of silicon carbide (SiC), the compound consists of one silicon atom (Si) and one carbon atom (C). The atomic mass of silicon is 28.086 g/mol, and the atomic mass of carbon is 12.011 g/mol. Therefore, the total molar mass of SiC is 28.086 + 12.011 = 40.097 g/mol.

To find the percent composition of silicon, we calculate:

(28.086 / 40.097) * 100 = 69.91%

Therefore, the percent composition of silicon in silicon carbide (SiC) is approximately 69.91%.