What is the average mass of a single silicon (Si) atom in grams?

• A. 9.27 × 10^{-25} grams
• B. 1.66 × 10^{-24} grams
• C. 4.66 × 10^{-23} grams
• D. 2.33 × 10^{-22} grams

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the atomic mass of silicon (Si) from the periodic table, which is approximately 28.09 atomic mass units (amu).
2. Recall that 1 atomic mass unit (amu) is defined as exactly 1.66053906660 × 10^{-24} grams.
3. Use the relationship to convert the atomic mass of silicon from amu to grams by multiplying the atomic mass by the mass of one amu: \(\text{mass of one Si atom} = 28.09 \times 1.66053906660 \times 10^{-24} \text{ grams}\).
4. Perform the multiplication of the numerical values and combine the powers of ten accordingly to express the mass in grams.
5. Express the final answer in scientific notation to match the format of the given options.