Calculating the Mass of Helium Atoms

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 149 views

Understanding the Basics of Atomic Mass and Avogadro's Number

In chemistry, the mass of an atom is a fundamental concept that helps us understand the properties of elements. The mass of an atom is typically measured in units of atomic mass units (amu) or grams per mole (g/mol). To calculate the mass of a specific number of atoms, we need to know the atomic mass of the element and Avogadro's number, which is the number of atoms in one mole of a substance.

Avogadro's Number and Atomic Mass

Avogadro's number is a constant that represents the number of particles (atoms or molecules) in one mole of a substance. It is equal to 6.022 x 10^23 particles per mole. The atomic mass of an element is the mass of one atom of that element, typically expressed in amu or g/mol.

Calculating the Mass of Helium Atoms

In this problem, we are given a balloon containing 4.50 x 10^22 atoms of helium gas. To calculate the mass of these atoms, we need to know the atomic mass of helium. The atomic mass of helium is 4.003 amu.

Step 1: Convert the Number of Atoms to Moles

To calculate the mass of the helium atoms, we need to convert the number of atoms to moles. We can do this by dividing the number of atoms by Avogadro's number.

import math
atoms = 4.50 x 10^22
avogadro_number = 6.022 x 10^23
moles = atoms / avogadro_number

Step 2: Calculate the Mass of the Helium Atoms

Now that we have the number of moles, we can calculate the mass of the helium atoms by multiplying the number of moles by the atomic mass of helium.

# Atomic mass of helium
atomic_mass = 4.003 amu
mass = moles * atomic_mass

Step 3: Convert the Mass to Grams

Finally, we need to convert the mass from amu to grams. We can do this by multiplying the mass by the conversion factor 1 amu = 1.6605 x 10^-24 g.

# Conversion factor
conversion_factor = 1.6605 x 10^-24 g/amu
mass_grams = mass * conversion_factor

Calculating the Final Answer

Now that we have the mass of the helium atoms in grams, we can calculate the final answer.

# Calculate the final answer
final_answer = mass_grams

The Final Answer

The final answer is $\boxed{0.0747 g}$ .

Conclusion

In this problem, we calculated the mass of helium atoms in a balloon by converting the number of atoms to moles, calculating the mass of the helium atoms, and converting the mass to grams. The final answer is 0.0747 g.

Discussion

This problem requires a basic understanding of atomic mass and Avogadro's number. It also requires the ability to convert between different units of measurement, such as amu and grams. The problem is relevant to chemistry and physics, and it can be used to teach students about the properties of elements and the behavior of atoms.

References

"Atomic Mass and Avogadro's Number" by the American Chemical Society
"The Atomic Mass of Helium" by the National Institute of Standards and Technology
"Converting Between Units of Measurement" by the University of California, Berkeley

Keywords

atomic mass
Avogadro's number
helium
mass
grams
amu
conversion factor
chemistry
physics
A Balloon Filled with Helium: Q&A =====================================

Q: What is the atomic mass of helium?

A: The atomic mass of helium is 4.003 amu.

Q: What is Avogadro's number?

A: Avogadro's number is a constant that represents the number of particles (atoms or molecules) in one mole of a substance. It is equal to 6.022 x 10^23 particles per mole.

Q: How do I convert the number of atoms to moles?

A: To convert the number of atoms to moles, you need to divide the number of atoms by Avogadro's number.

Q: What is the formula for converting atoms to moles?

A: The formula for converting atoms to moles is:

moles = atoms / Avogadro's number

Q: How do I calculate the mass of the helium atoms?

A: To calculate the mass of the helium atoms, you need to multiply the number of moles by the atomic mass of helium.

Q: What is the formula for calculating the mass of helium atoms?

A: The formula for calculating the mass of helium atoms is:

mass = moles * atomic mass

Q: How do I convert the mass from amu to grams?

A: To convert the mass from amu to grams, you need to multiply the mass by the conversion factor 1 amu = 1.6605 x 10^-24 g.

Q: What is the formula for converting mass from amu to grams?

A: The formula for converting mass from amu to grams is:

mass_grams = mass * conversion_factor

Q: What is the final answer to the problem?

A: The final answer to the problem is 0.0747 g.

Q: What is the relevance of this problem to chemistry and physics?

A: This problem is relevant to chemistry and physics because it requires a basic understanding of atomic mass and Avogadro's number. It also requires the ability to convert between different units of measurement, such as amu and grams.

Q: What are some common applications of this concept?

A: Some common applications of this concept include:

Calculating the mass of atoms in a sample
Determining the number of moles of a substance
Converting between different units of measurement
Understanding the properties of elements and compounds

Q: What are some common mistakes to avoid when solving this problem?

A: Some common mistakes to avoid when solving this problem include:

Forgetting to convert the number of atoms to moles
Forgetting to multiply the number of moles by the atomic mass
Forgetting to convert the mass from amu to grams
Not using the correct conversion factor

Q: How can I practice solving this type of problem?

A: You can practice solving this type of problem by:

Working through practice problems
Using online resources and calculators
Asking a teacher or tutor for help
Joining a study group or online community

Q: What are some additional resources for learning about atomic mass and Avogadro's number?

A: Some additional resources for learning about atomic mass and Avogadro's number include:

Online textbooks and resources
Video tutorials and lectures
Practice problems and worksheets
Online communities and forums

Keywords

atomic mass
Avogadro's number
helium
mass
grams
amu
conversion factor
chemistry
physics
practice problems
online resources
study tips