The relative mass of carbon is 3/8 that of an oxygen molecule.How many grams of carbon are needed to have the same number of particles as found in 32 grams of oxygen molecules?
A)12 g
B)32 g
C)3 g
D)8 g
E)3/8 g

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Since the relative mass of carbon is 3/8 that of oxygen, it means that 3/8 of the mass of one oxygen molecule is the same as the mass of one carbon atom.

The mass of one oxygen molecule is 32 g/mol (16 g/mol per oxygen atom).

Therefore, the mass of one carbon atom is (3/8) x 16 g/mol = 6 g/mol.

To find the mass of carbon that has the same number of particles as 32 g of oxygen, we need to calculate the number of moles of oxygen first.

Number of moles of oxygen = mass/molar mass = 32g/32g/mol = 1 mol

Since one carbon atom has a mass of 6 g/mol, the mass of carbon that has the same number of particles as 32 g of oxygen is:

Mass of carbon = (1 mol) x (6 g/mol) = 6 g

Therefore, the correct answer is A) 12 g.

The Relative Mass of Carbon Is 3/8 That of an Oxygen