Calculate the average mass, in grams, of one platinum atom.

Verified step by step guidance

1. Determine the molar mass of platinum (Pt) from the periodic table. The molar mass is the mass of one mole of platinum atoms, typically expressed in grams per mole.
2. Recall Avogadro's number, which is approximately $6.022 \times 10^{23}$ atoms per mole. This number represents the number of atoms in one mole of any substance.
3. To find the average mass of one platinum atom, use the formula: \( \text{Average mass of one atom} = \frac{\text{Molar mass}}{\text{Avogadro's number}} \).
4. Substitute the molar mass of platinum and Avogadro's number into the formula.
5. Perform the division to calculate the average mass of one platinum atom in grams.

Key Concepts

Atomic Mass

Atomic mass is the weighted average mass of an atom's isotopes, measured in atomic mass units (amu). For platinum, the atomic mass is approximately 195.08 amu, which reflects the relative abundance of its isotopes. This value is crucial for converting atomic mass to grams when calculating the mass of a single atom.

Avogadro's Number

Avogadro's number, approximately 6.022 x 10²³, is the number of atoms, ions, or molecules in one mole of a substance. This constant allows chemists to relate macroscopic quantities of material to the number of individual particles. To find the mass of a single platinum atom, one can use this number to convert the molar mass to the mass of a single atom.

Molar Mass

Molar mass is the mass of one mole of a substance, typically expressed in grams per mole (g/mol). For platinum, the molar mass is approximately 195.08 g/mol. This value is essential for calculating the mass of individual atoms, as it provides the necessary conversion factor from moles to grams, enabling the determination of the average mass of a single atom.