Final answer:
The mass of 1.56 x 10^21 atoms of magnesium is calculated by determining the number of moles and then converting that to grams using the molar mass of magnesium, resulting in 0.0630 grams.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the mass of 1.56 x 1021 atoms of magnesium, we need to use the concept of the molar mass and Avogadro's number, which is 6.022 x 1023 atoms/mol. Magnesium's molar mass is approximately 24.305 grams per mole.
First, we calculate the number of moles of magnesium atoms:
- Number of moles = Number of atoms / Avogadro's number
- Number of moles = 1.56 x 1021 atoms / 6.022 x 1023 atoms/mol
- Number of moles = 2.59 x 10-3 moles
Now, we convert moles to grams using the molar mass:
- Mass = Number of moles x Molar mass
- Mass = 2.59 x 10-3 moles x 24.305 g/mol
- Mass = 0.0629 grams, or 0.0630 grams when rounded to four significant figures
Therefore, the correct answer is (b) 0.0630 grams.