Final answer:
AMU can be converted to grams using the molar mass of the substance since the mass in AMU and molar mass in g/mol are numerically equivalent. Using the factor-label method, we can cancel out the units accordingly to make the conversion.
Step-by-step explanation:
AMU, or atomic mass unit, can be converted to grams. This is feasible because the mass (amu) and molar mass (g/mol) for any substance are numerically equivalent. For example, one molecule of H₂O weighs about 18 amu, and 1 mole of H₂O molecules weighs approximately 18 grams.
The process of converting amu to grams involves using the conversion factor that relates grams and moles. Since atoms and subatomic particles are extremely small, it makes more sense to measure their mass in amu. However, for practical chemical calculations, their mass is needed in grams. The conversion factor used is based on the molar mass of the substance, which is the mass of 1 mole of the substance in grams. By definition, 1 mole of a substance contains Avogadro's number (6.022 × 10²³) of entities (atoms, molecules, etc.), and its mass in grams is numerically equal to the average mass of one entity in amu. Therefore, through the factor-label method, we multiply the given mass in amu by the conversion factor to obtain the mass in grams.
The factor-label method is a mathematical approach where units are treated as algebraic quantities that can cancel each other out. For instance, if you start with moles and need to find the mass in grams, you would use a conversion factor that cancels out the mole unit.