What is the mass of 6.02 × 10^{23} atoms of carbon-12?

• A. 6 grams
• B. 1 gram
• C. 12 grams
• D. 24 grams

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Recognize that 6.02 \times 10^{23} atoms is Avogadro's number, which represents one mole of any substance.
2. Recall that the molar mass of carbon-12 is exactly 12 grams per mole, meaning one mole of carbon-12 atoms weighs 12 grams.
3. Since 6.02 \times 10^{23} atoms correspond to one mole, the mass of this number of carbon-12 atoms is equal to the molar mass of carbon-12.
4. Therefore, the mass of 6.02 \times 10^{23} atoms of carbon-12 is 12 grams.
5. This connects the microscopic scale (number of atoms) to the macroscopic scale (mass in grams) using Avogadro's number and molar mass.