High School

Select the correct answer.

The atomic mass of potassium is 39.1. What is the mass of [tex]$6.02 \times 10^{23}$[/tex] atoms of potassium?

A. [tex]39.1 \, \text{mg}[/tex]
B. [tex]39.1 \, \text{g}[/tex]
C. [tex]39.1 \, \text{kg}[/tex]
D. [tex]6.02 \times 39.1 \, \text{mg}[/tex]
E. [tex]6.02 \times 39.1 \, \text{g}[/tex]

Answer :

To find the mass of [tex]\(6.02 \times 10^{23}\)[/tex] atoms of potassium, we need to understand the concept of atomic mass and Avogadro's number.

1. Atomic Mass and Moles: The atomic mass of potassium is given as 39.1. This value means that one mole of potassium atoms, which is [tex]\(6.02 \times 10^{23}\)[/tex] atoms (Avogadro's number), has a mass of 39.1 grams.

2. Understanding Avogadro's Number: Avogadro's number, [tex]\(6.02 \times 10^{23}\)[/tex], is the number of atoms in one mole of any substance. Therefore, when you have [tex]\(6.02 \times 10^{23}\)[/tex] atoms of potassium, you effectively have one mole of potassium.

3. Calculating the Mass: Since one mole of potassium (which is [tex]\(6.02 \times 10^{23}\)[/tex] atoms) has a mass equal to its atomic mass in grams, the mass of [tex]\(6.02 \times 10^{23}\)[/tex] atoms of potassium is directly equal to 39.1 grams.

Therefore, the mass of [tex]\(6.02 \times 10^{23}\)[/tex] atoms of potassium is 39.1 grams, which corresponds to option B.

Other Questions