Question

What is the gram formula mass of $CuS{O_4}$?

Answer 1

Hint: In order to this question, to know the gram formula mass of $CuS{O_4}$, we should first write the molar mass of every element of $CuS{O_4}$ and then add their molar masses to know the exact gram formula mass of $CuS{O_4}$.

Complete step-by-step answer:
To find the molar mass of $CuS{O_4}$ , we must take all of the elements in the molecule, and add their molar masses together.
\[Cu\] or copper has a molar mass of \[63.546\;g/mol\] .
$S$ or sulphur has a molar mass of \[32.065\;g/mol\] .
$O$ or oxygen has a molar mass of \[16\;g/mol\] . So, ${O_4}$ would mean four oxygen atoms, and its molar mass would be \[16 \cdot 4 = 64\;g/mol\]

Combining all the masses together, we get the molar mass of \[copper\left( {II} \right){\text{ }}sulfate\;(CuSO4)\] , which will be \[63.546 + 64 + 32.065 = 159.611\;g/mol\] .
So, we can round off that number to 1 decimal place, and so the mass becomes \[159.6\;g/mol\] .

Hence, the gram formula mass of $CuS{O_4}$ is \[159.6\;g/mol\].

Note: The actual formula for calculating the Gram Molecular Mass of a substance is : \[Gram{\text{ }}Formula{\text{ }}Mass{\text{ }} = {\text{ }}mass{\text{ }}of{\text{ }}the{\text{ }}solute/formula{\text{ }}mass{\text{ }}of{\text{ }}the{\text{ }}solute\] . It is always expressed in the unit \[grams/mole{\text{ }}\left( {g/mol} \right)\] . But the above-mentioned formula seems to be complicated to use it in actual calculations.