Answer :
To solve this question, let's understand what is being asked. We need to find the mass of [tex]$6.02 \times 10^{23}$[/tex] atoms of potassium.
The key concept here is understanding the atomic mass and how it relates to moles:
1. Atomic Mass: The atomic mass of an element, such as potassium, is the mass of one mole of its atoms. It is typically expressed in atomic mass units (u) but can be directly used as grams per mole (g/mol) when calculating molar mass.
2. Avogadro's Number: A mole of any substance contains [tex]$6.02 \times 10^{23}$[/tex] units (in this case, atoms). This number, [tex]$6.02 \times 10^{23}$[/tex], is known as Avogadro's number.
Given:
- The atomic mass of potassium is 39.1 g/mol.
When the atomic mass is given in grams per mole, it means one mole (which has [tex]$6.02 \times 10^{23}$[/tex] atoms) weighs exactly that number of grams.
Therefore, since the question asks for the mass of [tex]$6.02 \times 10^{23}$[/tex] atoms of potassium, we can directly use the atomic mass:
- The mass of [tex]$6.02 \times 10^{23}$[/tex] atoms of potassium is 39.1 grams.
So, the correct answer is:
B. 39.1 g
The key concept here is understanding the atomic mass and how it relates to moles:
1. Atomic Mass: The atomic mass of an element, such as potassium, is the mass of one mole of its atoms. It is typically expressed in atomic mass units (u) but can be directly used as grams per mole (g/mol) when calculating molar mass.
2. Avogadro's Number: A mole of any substance contains [tex]$6.02 \times 10^{23}$[/tex] units (in this case, atoms). This number, [tex]$6.02 \times 10^{23}$[/tex], is known as Avogadro's number.
Given:
- The atomic mass of potassium is 39.1 g/mol.
When the atomic mass is given in grams per mole, it means one mole (which has [tex]$6.02 \times 10^{23}$[/tex] atoms) weighs exactly that number of grams.
Therefore, since the question asks for the mass of [tex]$6.02 \times 10^{23}$[/tex] atoms of potassium, we can directly use the atomic mass:
- The mass of [tex]$6.02 \times 10^{23}$[/tex] atoms of potassium is 39.1 grams.
So, the correct answer is:
B. 39.1 g
