To determine the initial amount of magnesium oxide formed, we need to set up a proportion based on the given information and use the final product amount as a reference.
Let's assume the initial amount of magnesium oxide formed is x grams.
According to the given information, the final product contains 3.22 grams of magnesium oxide. We can set up the proportion as follows:
(Initial amount of magnesium oxide) / (Final amount of magnesium oxide) = (Initial amount of nitride) / (Final amount of nitride)
Since the ratio of magnesium nitride to magnesium oxide is approximately 75% to 25%, we can write the proportion as:
x / 3.22 = 75 / 25
To solve for x, we cross-multiply:
25x = 3.22 * 75
25x = 241.5
Dividing both sides by 25:
x = 241.5 / 25
x ≈ 9.66
Therefore, the initial amount of magnesium oxide formed is approximately 9.66 grams.