Final answer:
To determine the number of carbon atoms in 975 milligrams of tabun, one must calculate the molar mass, convert the mass to moles, then use Avogadro's number to find approximately 1.81 x 10^22 carbon atoms.
Step-by-step explanation:
How Many Carbon Atoms Are In 975 Milligrams of Tabun?
The nerve agent tabun has the molecular formula C5H11N2O2P, indicating that each molecule of tabun contains 5 carbon atoms. To find the number of carbon atoms in 975 milligrams of tabun, we first need to calculate the molar mass of tabun.
To calculate the molar mass, we sum the atomic masses of all atoms in the formula: (5 x 12.01 for carbon) + (11 x 1.01 for hydrogen) + (2 x 14.01 for nitrogen) + (2 x 16.00 for oxygen) + (1 x 30.97 for phosphorus), which equals 162.23 g/mol.
Now, to get the number of moles in 975 mg of tabun, we convert the mass from milligrams to grams (975 mg = 0.975 g) and divide by the molar mass:
((0.975 g) / (162.23 g/mol) = 0.00601 mol). Next, we use Avogadro's number (6.022 x 1023) to convert moles to molecules, and then multiply by the number of carbon atoms per molecule:
((0.00601 mol) x (6.022 x 1023 molecules/mol) x (5 carbon atoms/molecule)).
This yields approximately 1.81 x 1022 carbon atoms in 975 mg of tabun.
It is essential to underline the hazardous nature of tabun. Handling such compounds requires extreme caution due to their high toxicity and history as chemical warfare agents.