Calculating the Molecular Mass of C2H6 (Ethane)

To calculate the molecular mass of a compound, we need to determine the sum of the atomic masses of all the atoms present in the molecule. In this case, we are calculating the molecular mass of C2H6, which is the chemical formula for ethane.

Step 1: Determine the Atomic Mass of Each Element
- Carbon (C) has an atomic mass of approximately 12.01 atomic mass units (amu).
- Hydrogen (H) has an atomic mass of approximately 1.01 amu.

Step 2: Identify the Number of Each Element in the Compound
- C2H6 consists of two carbon atoms and six hydrogen atoms.

Step 3: Multiply the Atomic Mass by the Number of Atoms
- Multiply the atomic mass of carbon (12.01 amu) by the number of carbon atoms (2) to get 24.02 amu.
- Multiply the atomic mass of hydrogen (1.01 amu) by the number of hydrogen atoms (6) to get 6.06 amu.

Step 4: Calculate the Molecular Mass
- Add the individual masses of each element together to obtain the molecular mass.
- Molecular mass = 24.02 amu (carbon) + 6.06 amu (hydrogen)
- Molecular mass of C2H6 = 30.08 amu

Explanation
The molecular mass of C2H6 (ethane) is calculated by summing the atomic masses of all the atoms in the compound. The atomic mass of each element is multiplied by the number of atoms present, and the results are added together. In the case of C2H6, there are two carbon atoms and six hydrogen atoms. By multiplying the atomic mass of carbon (12.01 amu) by 2, and the atomic mass of hydrogen (1.01 amu) by 6, we obtain the total molecular mass of 30.08 amu.

Final Answer:
The molecular mass of C2H6 (ethane) is 30.08 amu.