# Which sample contains the greatest number of atoms?

May 7, 2017

Well one mole of $N {O}_{2}$ contains three moles of individual atoms......so the answer we want is $d .$

#### Explanation:

Let's try something, we know that the mole $\equiv 6.022 \times {10}^{23}$ items of stuff. For the purposes of this question, let's say the mole was a round dozen, i.e. 12 individual items.

And we rewrite the question to give:

$\text{How many ATOMS are there in the following quantities?}$

$\text{a. ONE dinitrogen molecule}$;

$\text{b. 1 DOZEN dinitrogen molecules}$;

$\text{c. ONE}$ $N {O}_{2}$ $\text{molecule}$;

$\text{d. ONE DOZEN nitric oxide molecules}$.

So instead of the mole, I have used another VERY POPULAR collective number, the dozen. And the dozen is commonly used because I can keep a tally with my thumb and the finger joints of the ONE HAND.

And so for $\text{a, b, c, d,}$ I can write the answers as $2 , 24 , 3 , 36.$ Clearly $d .$ CONTAINS the most number of atoms. Are you following me? And in the question you were asked, you replaced the $\text{dozen}$ with another (MUCH LARGER) collective number, $\text{the mole}$, which is specified to be equal to $6.022 \times {10}^{23}$. It is important that you incorporate this idea of moles into your understanding. It will save you a lot of grief.

See this answer and here for another spray.