How many Ca2+ ions are found in 4.00 mol of CaCl2?
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Correct Answer:
In 4.00 mol of CaCl₂, there are 2.41 × 10²⁴ Ca²⁺ ions.
Explanation:
To solve this problem, we need to understand the relationship between moles, formula units, and ions in calcium chloride (CaCl₂).
Step 1: Analyze the formula of CaCl₂
Calcium chloride (CaCl₂) is an ionic compound composed of calcium ions (Ca²⁺) and chloride ions (Cl⁻).
Each formula unit of CaCl₂ contains:
- 1 calcium ion (Ca²⁺)
- 2 chloride ions (Cl⁻)
This means that for every mole of CaCl₂, you get exactly 1 mole of Ca²⁺ ions.
Step 2: Calculate the number of Ca²⁺ ions in 4.00 mol of CaCl₂
Since 1 mole of CaCl₂ gives 1 mole of Ca²⁺ ions, 4.00 mol of CaCl₂ will give:
4.00 mol of Ca²⁺ ions
Step 3: Use Avogadro’s number to find the number of ions
Avogadro’s number is 6.022 × 10²³ particles/mol, meaning there are 6.022 × 10²³ ions in 1 mole.
So, the number of Ca²⁺ ions in 4.00 mol is:
4.00 mol × 6.022 × 10²³ ions/mol = 2.4088 × 10²⁴ ions
Rounding appropriately, the number of Ca²⁺ ions is:
2.41 × 10²⁴ Ca²⁺ ions
Summary
- Each mole of CaCl₂ gives 1 mole of Ca²⁺ ions.
- Multiply the moles by Avogadro’s number to find the total ions.
- In 4.00 mol of CaCl₂, there are approximately 2.41 × 10²⁴ Ca²⁺ ions.
Understanding this process helps when dealing with ionic compounds and interpreting mole-to-ion relationships in chemistry.
