What is the mass of 0.6 mol of sulfur dioxide? The molar mass of sulfur dioxide is 64 g/mol. A. 38.4g B. 12.3g C. 40g D. 56.5g
The correct answer and explanation is:
Correct Answer: A. 38.4g
To find the mass of a given number of moles of a substance, use the formula:
mass = number of moles × molar mass
In this case:
- The number of moles of sulfur dioxide (SO₂) is 0.6 mol
- The molar mass of sulfur dioxide is 64 g/mol
So,
mass = 0.6 mol × 64 g/mol = 38.4 g
Therefore, the mass of 0.6 mol of sulfur dioxide is 38.4 grams.
This calculation involves the basic principle of the mole concept in chemistry, which relates the amount of substance to its mass. One mole of any substance contains Avogadro’s number of particles and weighs the same as its molar mass expressed in grams. For sulfur dioxide, its molar mass is calculated by adding the atomic masses of sulfur and oxygen. Sulfur has an atomic mass of 32 g/mol and oxygen has an atomic mass of 16 g/mol. Since sulfur dioxide has one sulfur atom and two oxygen atoms, the molar mass becomes:
32 + (2 × 16) = 64 g/mol
When given 0.6 moles of sulfur dioxide, this means we have 60% of a full mole. To find out how much this amount weighs, multiply the mole quantity by the molar mass. This allows chemists to convert between moles and grams, which is essential in laboratory measurements and stoichiometric calculations in chemical reactions. Being able to perform such conversions helps determine how much of a substance is needed or produced in a reaction. Thus, the correct mass of 0.6 mol of sulfur dioxide is 38.4 grams, which corresponds to choice A.