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]\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, follow these steps:

1. Understand the meaning of atomic mass: The atomic mass of potassium, given as 39.1, represents the mass of one mole of potassium atoms. The units for atomic mass are typically grams per mole (g/mol).

2. Use Avogadro's number: Avogadro's number, [tex]\(6.02 \times 10^{23}\)[/tex], describes the number of atoms (or molecules) in one mole of a substance.

3. Relate atomic mass to mole: Since 39.1 g is the mass of one mole of potassium, which is exactly [tex]\(6.02 \times 10^{23}\)[/tex] atoms, we can equate this information to find the answer.

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

Considering these steps, the correct answer is B. [tex]\(39.1 \, \text{g}\)[/tex].