Question

When the students were given the information regarding the aluminum foil, what is the first measurement that they should have taken to determine the cost in dollars of a single aluminum atom?

a. the mass of the 8x8 square
b. the area of the whole roll
c. the weight of the box
d. the mass of the whole roll

Answer 1

The first measurement that students should take to determine the cost of a single aluminum atom is the mass of the whole roll of aluminum foil.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine the cost in dollars of a single aluminum atom, the first measurement that students should take is the mass of the whole roll. This is because knowing the mass of the entire roll, combined with the price, allows them to calculate the cost of a known quantity of aluminum. From there, they can determine the number of atoms in that quantity using Avogadro's number and the molar mass of aluminum, ultimately allowing them to calculate the cost per atom.