If cobalt metal is mixed with excess sulfur and heated strongly, a sulfide compound is produced that contains 55.06% cobalt by mass and the rest is sulfur. Calculate the empirical formula of the compound.

Co2S3

Explanation:

Percentage of Co in the compound = 55.06%

Percentage of S in the compound is = 100 — 55.06 = 44.94%

To find the empirical formula for the compound, we carry out the following:

**** please see attachment for explanation ****

- calcium has greater affinity to bond with electron receptors than hydrogen does and hence, it has the ability to replace hydrogen in most of its compounds.

- lithium has 2 valence electrons in the product because it can make only 1 bond with hydrogen. beryllium has 4 valence electrons in the product because it can only make 2 bonds. it has fewer electrons than neon and can react with electron donors. each hydrogen has 2 valence electrons, the same as helium.

- the covalent bond formed between carbon and hydrogen is polar because carbon is more electronegative than hydrogen and it attracts the bonded electron pair closer to itself, thus giving hydrogen a partial positive charge.

- a hydrogen bond is a relatively weak bond that hydrogen atoms make with the electronegative atoms nitrogen, oxygen or fluorine.

so the best choice is a.) 2 calcium (ca) atoms