Final answer:
To find the number of moles in a 34.2 grams sample of aluminum, divide the mass of the sample by the molar mass of aluminum (26.98 g/mol), resulting in approximately 1.27 moles.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the number of moles of aluminum in a 34.2 grams sample, you need to use the molar mass of aluminum. The molar mass of aluminum (Al) is 26.98 grams per mole. This means that 1 mole of aluminum weighs 26.98 grams.
To find out how many moles are in the student's sample, you can set up the following proportion:
1 mol Al / 26.98 g Al = x mol Al / 34.2 g Al
Now, solve for x, which represents the number of moles:
x = (34.2 g Al * 1 mol Al) / 26.98 g Al
x ≈ 1.27 moles of aluminum
Therefore, the student's sample of aluminum has approximately 1.27 moles.