Tungsten Carbide Composition Analysis

What is the percent composition of tungsten in tungsten carbide (WC) compound?

Given the chemical formula WC, the percentage composition of tungsten in the compound is?

Answer:

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

Tungsten carbide, with the chemical formula WC, is widely used in jewelry making due to its durability. When analyzing the composition of tungsten carbide, it is essential to determine the percentage of tungsten in the compound.

In the given chemical formula WC, the percentage composition of tungsten can be calculated by expressing the ratio of the atomic weight of tungsten to the molar mass of the compound as a percentage.

The atomic weight of tungsten (W) is 183.84g/mol, and the atomic weight of carbon (C) is 12.01g/mol. By adding these atomic weights together, we get the formula mass of tungsten carbide as 195.85g/mol.

Therefore, the percentage composition of tungsten in tungsten carbide can be determined as follows:

Percentage composition of W = [Atomic weight of W / Formula mass of WC] x 100

Calculating the percentage composition:

Percentage composition of W = [183.84 / 195.85] x 100 = 93.87%

Rounded to the nearest whole percent, the percentage composition of tungsten in tungsten carbide is 94%. This indicates that tungsten makes up the majority of the compound's composition.