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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]\quad 39.1 \, \text{mg}[/tex]
B. [tex]\quad 39.1 \, \text{g}[/tex]
C. [tex]\quad 39.1 \, \text{kg}[/tex]
D. [tex]\quad 6.02 \times 39.1 \, \text{mg}[/tex]
E. [tex]\quad 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 use the concept of molar mass. Here's a simple step-by-step explanation:

1. Understand Molar Mass: The atomic mass of potassium is 39.1. This means that one mole of potassium atoms (which is [tex]\(6.022 \times 10^{23}\)[/tex] atoms, also known as Avogadro's number) has a mass of 39.1 grams.

2. Identify the Given Quantity: The question asks for the mass of [tex]\(6.02 \times 10^{23}\)[/tex] atoms of potassium. This is practically the same as one mole of atoms because [tex]\(6.022 \times 10^{23}\)[/tex] is the approximate number of particles in a mole, and 6.02 is very close to 6.022.

3. Apply the Concept of Moles: Since [tex]\(6.02 \times 10^{23}\)[/tex] is essentially one mole, the mass of this quantity of potassium atoms is the same as the atomic mass expressed in grams.

4. Conclusion: Therefore, the mass of [tex]\(6.02 \times 10^{23}\)[/tex] atoms of potassium is 39.1 grams.

Thus, the correct answer is:
B. 39.1 g