What is the molar mass of $ S{O_3} $ ?

To find the molar mass of sulfur trioxide, denoted as \( SO_3 \), we need to consider the atomic masses of its constituent elements: sulfur (S) and oxygen (O). The molar mass is essentially the mass of one mole of a substance, expressed in grams per mole (g/mol).

Breaking Down the Components

First, let’s look at the atomic masses of sulfur and oxygen:

• Sulfur (S): The atomic mass is approximately 32.07 g/mol.
• Oxygen (O): The atomic mass is about 16.00 g/mol.

Calculating the Total Molar Mass

In sulfur trioxide, there is one sulfur atom and three oxygen atoms. To calculate the molar mass of \( SO_3 \), we can use the following formula:

Molar Mass of \( SO_3 \) = (Number of S atoms × Atomic mass of S) + (Number of O atoms × Atomic mass of O)

Substituting the values we have:

Molar Mass of \( SO_3 \) = (1 × 32.07 g/mol) + (3 × 16.00 g/mol)

Now, let’s do the math:

• For sulfur: \( 1 × 32.07 = 32.07 \) g/mol
• For oxygen: \( 3 × 16.00 = 48.00 \) g/mol

Now, we add these two results together:

Total Molar Mass = 32.07 g/mol + 48.00 g/mol = 80.07 g/mol

Final Result

Therefore, the molar mass of sulfur trioxide \( SO_3 \) is approximately 80.07 g/mol. This value is crucial in various chemical calculations, such as stoichiometry, where knowing the molar mass helps in converting between grams and moles of a substance.