Which contains more atoms: 1 mole of carbon or 1 mole of sulfur?

• A. 1 mole of sulfur contains more atoms than 1 mole of carbon.
• B. 1 mole of carbon contains more atoms than 1 mole of sulfur.
• C. It depends on the atomic mass of each element.
• D. Both contain the same number of atoms.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Recall the definition of a mole: 1 mole of any substance contains Avogadro's number of particles, which is approximately \$6.022 \times 10^{23}$ atoms or molecules.
2. Understand that the mole is a counting unit, similar to a dozen, but for atoms or molecules. Therefore, 1 mole of carbon atoms contains \$6.022 \times 10^{23}$ carbon atoms.
3. Similarly, 1 mole of sulfur atoms also contains \$6.022 \times 10^{23}$ sulfur atoms, regardless of their atomic masses.
4. Recognize that atomic mass affects the mass of 1 mole of an element (molar mass), but it does not affect the number of atoms in 1 mole.
5. Conclude that since both 1 mole of carbon and 1 mole of sulfur contain the same number of atoms, the correct answer is that both contain the same number of atoms.