Chemical Composition of Tungsten Carbide in Jewelry

What is the percent composition of tungsten in tungsten carbide?

The percent composition of tungsten is what %?

Answer:

The percent composition of tungsten in tungsten carbide is 94%.

Tungsten carbide is a popular material used in making jewelry due to its durability and scratch-resistant properties. In order to understand the chemical composition of tungsten carbide, we need to calculate the percent composition of tungsten in this compound.

The chemical formula for tungsten carbide is WC, where the molar mass of tungsten (W) is 183.85 g/mol and the molar mass of carbon (C) is 12.01 g/mol. By using the formula Mr(WC) = Ar(W) + Ar(C), we can calculate the molecular mass of tungsten carbide:

Mr(WC) = 183.85 + 12.01

Mr(WC) = 195.86 g/mol

Next, we can calculate the mass percent of tungsten in a sample using the formula ω(W) = Ar(W) ÷ Mr(WC) · 100%:

ω(W) = 183.85 ÷ 195.86 · 100%

ω(W) = 93.87%

Rounding this off to the nearest whole percent, we get that the percent composition of tungsten in tungsten carbide is 94%. This means that 94% of the compound by mass is composed of tungsten.