To determine how many atoms 32 grams of sulfur contain, we first need to understand a few fundamental concepts: molar mass, Avogadro's number, and the relationship between mass and moles.
1. Molar Mass of Sulfur:
The molar mass of sulfur is the mass of one mole of sulfur atoms. This value is given as 32 grams per mole.
2. Given Mass of Sulfur:
We are given 32 grams of sulfur.
3. Moles of Sulfur:
To find the number of moles of sulfur in 32 grams, we use the formula:
[tex]\[
\text{Number of moles} = \frac{\text{Given mass}}{\text{Molar mass}}
\][/tex]
Substituting the given values:
[tex]\[
\text{Number of moles} = \frac{32 \text{ grams}}{32 \text{ grams/mole}} = 1 \text{ mole}
\][/tex]
4. Avogadro's Number:
Avogadro's number is [tex]\(6.02 \times 10^{23}\)[/tex], which represents the number of atoms (or molecules) in one mole of a substance.
5. Number of Atoms:
Since 1 mole of sulfur contains [tex]\(6.02 \times 10^{23}\)[/tex] atoms (by definition of a mole), the number of atoms in 1 mole of sulfur is simply given by Avogadro's number.
Thus, the number of atoms in 32 grams of sulfur is:
[tex]\[
1 \text{ mole} \times 6.02 \times 10^{23} \text{ atoms/mole} = 6.02 \times 10^{23} \text{ atoms}
\][/tex]
Therefore, the number of atoms in 32 grams of sulfur is [tex]\(6.02 \times 10^{23}\)[/tex].
So the correct answer is:
[tex]\[ C. 6.02 \times 10^{23} \][/tex]
