The Hope diamond weighs 45.52 carats. If a carat equals 2.00 x 10^2 mg, what is the weight of the Hope diamond in pounds?
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Correct Answer:
The weight of the Hope Diamond in pounds is approximately 0.0200 lb.
Explanation (without using the word “we”):
To convert the weight of the Hope Diamond from carats to pounds, a step-by-step unit conversion is necessary.
The given mass of the diamond is 45.52 carats. One carat is defined as 2.00 × 10² milligrams. By multiplying the number of carats by the milligram equivalent of one carat, the total mass in milligrams is obtained:45.52 carats×2.00×102 mg/carat=9104 mg45.52 \, \text{carats} \times 2.00 \times 10^2 \, \text{mg/carat} = 9104 \, \text{mg}45.52carats×2.00×102mg/carat=9104mg
To proceed, the milligrams must be converted to grams. Since 1 gram equals 1000 milligrams:9104 mg÷1000=9.104 g9104 \, \text{mg} \div 1000 = 9.104 \, \text{g}9104mg÷1000=9.104g
Next, the mass in grams is converted to pounds. One pound is equivalent to 453.592 grams. The conversion is carried out as follows:9.104 g÷453.592 g/lb≈0.02006 lb9.104 \, \text{g} \div 453.592 \, \text{g/lb} \approx 0.02006 \, \text{lb}9.104g÷453.592g/lb≈0.02006lb
Rounding this value appropriately based on the significant figures provided in the original measurement (4 significant figures in 45.52), the final result is:0.0200 lb\boxed{0.0200 \, \text{lb}}0.0200lb
This conversion highlights the small weight of even a valuable and massive gem when expressed in pounds. Scientific notation and proper unit handling are critical in chemistry and physics to ensure accuracy and consistency in measurements. Each step of dimensional analysis allows the cancellation of unwanted units and the proper transformation into the desired unit of measure.
