How many aluminum atoms are present in one mole of aluminum sulfide? al2s3
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Correct Answer:
In one mole of aluminum sulfide (Al₂S₃), there are 2 moles of aluminum atoms, which is equivalent to ( 2 \times 6.022 \times 10^{23} ) aluminum atoms, or approximately ( 1.204 \times 10^{24} ) aluminum atoms.
Explanation:
A mole is a fundamental unit in chemistry used to count particles like atoms, ions, or molecules. One mole of any substance contains Avogadro’s number of particles (( 6.022 \times 10^{23} )). For compounds like aluminum sulfide (Al₂S₃), understanding the relationship between its chemical formula and the number of atoms in one mole is essential.
Step 1: Understanding the formula
The formula ( \text{Al}_2\text{S}_3 ) indicates:
- 2 aluminum (Al) atoms and
- 3 sulfur (S) atoms in each formula unit of aluminum sulfide.
Step 2: Atoms in one mole of ( \text{Al}_2\text{S}_3 )
One mole of ( \text{Al}_2\text{S}_3 ) contains Avogadro’s number (( 6.022 \times 10^{23} )) of formula units. Since each formula unit contains:
- 2 aluminum atoms, multiplying the number of formula units by 2 gives the total number of aluminum atoms.
Step 3: Calculation
[
\text{Number of aluminum atoms} = 2 \times 6.022 \times 10^{23} = 1.204 \times 10^{24} \text{ atoms}.
]
Step 4: Interpretation
This means that in every mole of ( \text{Al}_2\text{S}_3 ), there are twice as many aluminum atoms as there are formula units because each unit contains two aluminum atoms. Similarly, the sulfur atoms can be calculated using the same logic (3 atoms per formula unit), but the question specifically asks about aluminum.
By knowing the molecular composition and Avogadro’s number, the calculation becomes straightforward, providing the precise count of aluminum atoms in one mole of ( \text{Al}_2\text{S}_3 ).