How many atoms of carbon are in 23.1 g of glucose (C₆H₁₂O₆)?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The molecular formula of glucose is C6H12O6. Therefore, it contains 6 carbon atoms. We can use the formula:

number of atoms = (mass in grams/molar mass) x Avogadro's number

The molar mass of glucose is (6 x atomic mass of carbon) + (12 x atomic mass of hydrogen) + (6 x atomic mass of oxygen) = (6 x 12.01) + (12 x 1.01) + (6 x 16.00) = 180.18 g/mol.

Using the formula:

number of carbon atoms = (23.1 g/180.18 g/mol) x 6 = 0.77 x 6 x 6.022 x 10^23 = 2.77 x 10^23

Rounding to 2 significant figures, we get:

number of carbon atoms = 4.6 x 10^23

Therefore, the best choice is B.

How Many Atoms of Carbon Are in 23