Question

Calculate the approximate number of atoms in a bacterium. Assume the average mass of an atom in the bacterium is 10 times the mass of a proton.

(a) ( 10¹² )
(b) ( 10¹⁵ )
(c) ( 10¹⁸ )
(d) ( 10²¹ )

Answer 1

The approximate number of atoms in a bacterium is 10^12 atoms.

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the approximate number of atoms in a bacterium, we can use the given information about the mass of a bacterium and the mass of a hydrogen atom. We are told that the average mass of an atom in the bacterium is ten times the mass of a hydrogen atom.

Given: mass of a hydrogen atom = 10^-27 kg, mass of a bacterium = 10^-15 kg.

The number of atoms in the bacterium can be calculated using the formula:

Number of atoms = (mass of bacterium) / (mass of an atom)

Substituting the given values, we get:
Number of atoms = (10^-15 kg) / (10^-27 kg)

Simplifying this expression, we find that the approximate number of atoms in a bacterium is 10^12 atoms.