Final answer:
The oxygen-to-sulfur mass ratio in sulfur dioxide (SO2) can be found by taking the total mass of oxygen (32.00 amu for two atoms) and dividing it by the mass of sulfur (32.06 amu), yielding a ratio of approximately 0.9981.
Step-by-step explanation:
The oxygen-to-sulfur mass ratio of sulfur dioxide (SO2) can be calculated by using the atomic masses of oxygen and sulfur. According to the atomic masses provided, 1 sulfur atom weighs 32.06 amu, and 1 oxygen atom weighs 16.00 amu. In a molecule of sulfur dioxide, there is one sulfur atom and two oxygen atoms.
To find the mass ratio, first calculate the total mass of oxygen atoms in the molecule by multiplying the atomic mass of oxygen by two because there are two oxygen atoms in SO2: 2 × 16.00 amu = 32.00 amu.
Then, you have the mass of one sulfur atom, which is 32.06 amu. Now, you can find the ratio by dividing the total mass of oxygen by the mass of sulfur: 32.00 amu ÷ 32.06 amu = 0.9981.
Therefore, the oxygen-to-sulfur mass ratio in sulfur dioxide is approximately 0.9981.