Final answer:
The number of moles present in 52 grams of CO₂ is approximately 1.17 moles.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine the number of moles in a given mass of a substance, we use the formula:
moles = mass / molar mass
The molar mass of carbon dioxide (CO₂) is calculated by adding the atomic masses of carbon (C) and two oxygen (O) atoms. The atomic mass of carbon is approximately 12.01 g/mol, and oxygen is approximately 16.00 g/mol. So, the molar mass of CO₂ is 44.01 g/mol.
Now, apply the formula:
moles = 52 g / 44.01 g/mol
This calculation gives us approximately 1.17 moles of CO₂.
In summary, to find the number of moles, we use the mass of the substance and divide it by its molar mass. In this case, 52 grams of CO₂ is equivalent to approximately 1.17 moles. This calculation is based on the understanding that one mole of a substance contains Avogadro's number of entities (atoms, molecules, ions), and the molar mass represents the mass of one mole of that substance.