how many total atoms are in 50 molecules of h20

Lussy04

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22-01-2025

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Water, essential for life, has the chemical formula H₂O. This means each molecule of water contains two hydrogen (H) atoms and one oxygen (O) atom. But how many atoms are in 50 water molecules? Let's break it down.

Understanding the Structure of a Water Molecule

Before calculating the total number of atoms, it's crucial to understand the composition of a single water molecule (H₂O). As mentioned, each water molecule contains:

• 2 Hydrogen (H) atoms: The subscript '2' in H₂O indicates two hydrogen atoms per molecule.
• 1 Oxygen (O) atom: The 'O' represents a single oxygen atom.

Therefore, one water molecule has a total of 3 atoms (2 + 1 = 3).

Calculating Atoms in 50 Water Molecules

Now, let's scale this up to 50 water molecules. Since each molecule contains 3 atoms, we simply multiply the number of atoms per molecule by the number of molecules:

3 atoms/molecule * 50 molecules = 150 atoms

The Answer: There are 150 atoms in 50 water molecules.

Further Exploration: Moles and Avogadro's Number

This calculation is straightforward for a small number of molecules like 50. However, in chemistry, we often deal with vastly larger quantities of atoms and molecules. This is where the concept of moles and Avogadro's number comes into play.

• Mole: A mole is a unit of measurement representing a specific number of particles (atoms, molecules, ions, etc.). This number is Avogadro's number.

• Avogadro's Number: Approximately 6.022 x 10²³ This is the number of particles in one mole of a substance.

If we were dealing with a mole of water molecules (6.022 x 10²³ molecules), the calculation would be:

3 atoms/molecule * 6.022 x 10²³ molecules ≈ 1.807 x 10²⁴ atoms

This illustrates the immense scale involved when working with molar quantities in chemistry. While our initial problem was simple, it provides a foundation for understanding more complex stoichiometric calculations.

Conclusion

In conclusion, there are 150 atoms present in 50 molecules of water (H₂O). Understanding the atomic composition of molecules is fundamental to various fields of science, from basic chemistry to advanced material science. Remember to always start by examining the chemical formula to determine the number of atoms in a single molecule before scaling up to larger quantities.