Rank the following hydrogen peroxide molecules

Rank the following hydrogen peroxide molecules from the highest to lowest mass. Rank from highest to lowest molecular mass. To rank items as equivalent, overlap them. View Available Hint(s) Help Reset Lowest mass

Answer

Ranking Hydrogen Peroxide Molecules by Molecular Mass

Understanding Hydrogen Peroxide (H₂O₂):
Hydrogen peroxide is a simple molecule composed of two hydrogen atoms and two oxygen atoms. Its molecular mass is calculated based on the atomic masses of hydrogen and oxygen. To rank various hydrogen peroxide molecules by molecular mass, we consider their **isotopic composition** — variations in the number of neutrons within hydrogen or oxygen atoms.

Atomic Masses of Common Isotopes

Hydrogen (H): 1.008 u
Deuterium (D, heavy hydrogen): 2.014 u
Oxygen-16 (O): 15.999 u
Oxygen-18 (¹⁸O): 17.999 u

Sample Molecules to Compare

Let’s assume you are ranking the following hydrogen peroxide molecules:

H₂O₂ → 2 × H + 2 × O = 2(1.008) + 2(15.999) = 34.014 u
D₂O₂ → 2 × D + 2 × O = 2(2.014) + 2(15.999) = 36.026 u
H₂¹⁸O₂ → 2 × H + 2 × ¹⁸O = 2(1.008) + 2(17.999) = 38.014 u
D₂¹⁸O₂ → 2 × D + 2 × ¹⁸O = 2(2.014) + 2(17.999) = 40.026 u

Ranking from Highest to Lowest Molecular Mass

D₂¹⁸O₂ > H₂¹⁸O₂ > D₂O₂ > H₂O₂

Explanation of Ranking

The molecule with the highest molecular mass is D₂¹⁸O₂ because it contains both heavy hydrogen (deuterium) and heavy oxygen (oxygen-18). Each substitution with a heavier isotope increases the total mass of the molecule.

The ranking follows the pattern:

Replacing H with D → adds more mass
Replacing O with ¹⁸O → adds even more mass

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