The Magic of Avogadro's Number: Unpacking .290 x (6.022 x 10^23)
What is Avogadro's Number?
Avogadro's number, denoted by NA, is a fundamental constant in chemistry and physics that represents the number of particles (atoms or molecules) in one mole of a substance. It is named after the Italian scientist Amedeo Avogadro, who first proposed the concept in 1811.
The Value of Avogadro's Number
The currently accepted value of Avogadro's number is 6.022140857 x 10^23 particles per mole. This number is a fundamental constant of nature and is used to convert between the amount of a substance and the number of particles it contains.
What does .290 x (6.022 x 10^23) represent?
The expression .290 x (6.022 x 10^23) represents the number of particles in a sample of a substance that has a mass of 0.290 moles.
To break it down further:
- .290 is the number of moles of the substance
- 6.022 x 10^23 is Avogadro's number, which represents the number of particles per mole
- By multiplying the number of moles by Avogadro's number, we get the total number of particles in the sample
Calculating the Number of Particles
Let's perform the calculation to find the number of particles:
.290 moles x 6.022 x 10^23 particles/mole = 1.745 x 10^23 particles
Therefore, the sample contains approximately 1.745 x 10^23 particles.
Importance of Avogadro's Number
Avogadro's number is a crucial constant in many scientific applications, including:
- Chemical reactions: It helps calculate the amount of reactants and products in a chemical reaction.
- Stoichiometry: It enables the calculation of the number of particles involved in a chemical reaction.
- Physical chemistry: It is used to calculate thermodynamic properties, such as entropy and free energy.
In conclusion, Avogadro's number is a fundamental constant that plays a vital role in various scientific applications. The expression .290 x (6.022 x 10^23) represents the number of particles in a sample of a substance, and by performing the calculation, we can determine the exact number of particles present.