what is percent composition
Return to Mole Menu. Percent composition is the percent by mass of each element present in a compound. Water, H2O, is the first example. One mole of water is 18.0152 grams. In that compound, there are two moles of H atoms and 2 x 1.008 = 2.016 grams. That's how many grams of hydrogen are present in one mole of water.