Question

Which sample contains the greatest number of atoms?

Answer 1

Answer:

Well one mole of
NO2 contains three moles of individual atoms......so the answer we want is designed.


Explanation:

Let's try something, we know that the mole =
6.022×10
23 items of stuff. For the purposes of this question, let's say the mole was a round dozen, i.e. 12 individual items.

And we rewrite the question to give:

How many ATOMS are there in the following quantities?

a. ONE dinitrogen molecule;

b. 1 DOZEN dinitrogen molecules;

c. ONE NO2 molecule;

d. ONE DOZEN nitric oxide molecules.

So instead of the mole, I have used another VERY POPULAR collective number, the dozen. And the dozen is commonly used because I can keep a tally with my thumb and the finger joints of the ONE HAND.

And so for

a, b, c, d,

I can write the answers as

2

,

24

,

3

,

36

.

Clearly

d

.

CONTAINS the most number of atoms. Are you following me? And in the question you were asked, you replaced the

dozen

with another (MUCH LARGER) collective number,

the mole

, which is specified to be equal to

6.022

×

10

23

. It is important that you incorporate this idea of moles into your understanding. It will save you a lot of grief.