What is the molar mass of calcium phosphate?

The molar mass of a compound is calculated by adding the relative atomic masses of all the atoms present in its chemical formula. The number of atoms of each element can be identified directly from the formula.

Let’s calculate the molar mass of calcium phosphate.

The chemical formula of calcium phosphate is: Ca₃(PO₄)₂ or Ca₃O₈P₂

The atomic masses of the elements are:

• Calcium (Ca) = 40.078 u
• Phosphorus (P) = 30.9737 u
• Oxygen (O) = 15.9994 u

From the formula Ca₃(PO₄)₂, we see that the compound contains:

• 3 atoms of Calcium
• 2 atoms of Phosphorus
• 8 atoms of Oxygen

Now, calculating molar mass:

Molar mass = (3 × 40.078) + (2 × 30.9737) + (8 × 15.9994)

= 120.234 + 61.9474 + 127.9952

= 310.1766 g·mol⁻¹

Final Answer: The molar mass of calcium phosphate is 310.18 g·mol⁻¹ (approx)