Final answer:
The question involves calculating the molar mass of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and using it as a conversion factor between moles and grams. The molar mass is found by adding the atomic masses of sodium, oxygen, and hydrogen, resulting in 40.00 g/mol. This molar mass allows for conversions, such as determining 22.0 grams from 0.550 moles of NaOH.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question deals with the concept of molar mass and its application in converting between moles and grams of a substance. The molar mass of a compound, such as sodium hydroxide (NaOH), is found by summing the atomic masses of each element in the compound, taking into account the number of atoms of each element present in the molecular formula. In this example, the molar mass of NaOH is 40.00 g/mol, which can be calculated using the atomic masses from the periodic table:
- Na = 22.990 g/mol
- O = 15.999 g/mol
- H = 1.008 g/mol
To convert grams to moles, one would use the molar mass as a conversion factor, and to convert from moles to grams, the molar mass is multiplied by the number of moles. For instance, 0.550 mol of NaOH would correspond to 22.0 grams, as calculated by the formula (0.550 mol) × (40.00 g/mol).