If you have a mole of carbon atoms, which of the following statements is correct?

• A. You have 6.022 × 10^{23} carbon atoms.
• B. You have 6.022 × 10^{23} grams of carbon.
• C. You have 1.00 × 10^{23} carbon atoms.
• D. You have 12 grams of carbon atoms.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the definition of a mole: A mole is a unit in chemistry that represents exactly \$6.022 \times 10^{23}$ entities (atoms, molecules, ions, etc.). This number is known as Avogadro's number.
2. Identify what is being counted: In this problem, the mole refers to carbon atoms, so 1 mole of carbon atoms means you have \$6.022 \times 10^{23}$ carbon atoms.
3. Relate moles to mass: The molar mass of carbon (the mass of 1 mole of carbon atoms) is approximately 12 grams per mole. This means 1 mole of carbon atoms weighs about 12 grams.
4. Analyze the given options: The statement 'You have \$6.022 \times 10^{23}$ carbon atoms' correctly reflects the number of atoms in 1 mole. The statement 'You have 12 grams of carbon atoms' correctly reflects the mass of 1 mole of carbon atoms.
5. Distinguish between number of atoms and mass: The number of atoms is \$6.022 \times 10^{23}\(, not the mass. The mass is 12 grams, not the number of atoms. Therefore, the correct statement about the number of atoms in 1 mole is 'You have \)6.022 \times 10^{23}$ carbon atoms.'