What is the molar mass of copper(II) sulfate (CuSO_4)?

• A. 120.61 g/mol
• B. 143.62 g/mol
• C. 177.63 g/mol
• D. 159.61 g/mol

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the chemical formula of copper(II) sulfate, which is CuSO_4.
2. List the atomic masses of each element involved: Copper (Cu), Sulfur (S), and Oxygen (O). You can find these values on the periodic table.
3. Calculate the total mass contributed by each element by multiplying the atomic mass by the number of atoms of that element in the formula. For CuSO_4, this means: 1 atom of Cu, 1 atom of S, and 4 atoms of O.
4. Sum the masses of all elements to find the molar mass of CuSO_4 using the formula: \(\text{Molar mass} = (1 \times M_{Cu}) + (1 \times M_{S}) + (4 \times M_{O})\).
5. Verify your final sum to ensure it matches the expected molar mass value for copper(II) sulfate.