Question

How many total atoms are there in one molecule of \(\mathrm{C}_{145} \mathrm{H}_{293} \mathrm{O}_{168}\) ?

Short answer

There are 606 total atoms in one molecule.

Step-by-step solution

Understand the Molecule

Recognize that the molecule \(\mathrm{C}_{145} \mathrm{H}_{293} \mathrm{O}_{168}\) is composed of three types of atoms: Carbon (C), Hydrogen (H), and Oxygen (O). Each subscript indicates the number of each type of atom within one molecule.

Add the Number of Atoms

Add the subscripts together to find the total number of atoms in the molecule. This means summing 145 for Carbon, 293 for Hydrogen, and 168 for Oxygen.

Calculate the Total

Perform the addition: \[145 + 293 + 168\] which equals \[606\].

Key concepts

chemical formula

A chemical formula gives us information about the types and numbers of atoms in a molecule. It's like the identity card of the molecule. For instance, the chemical formula \( \mathrm{C}_{145} \mathrm{H}_{293} \mathrm{O}_{168} \) tells us that the molecule contains 145 Carbon (C) atoms, 293 Hydrogen (H) atoms, and 168 Oxygen (O) atoms. Knowing the chemical formula allows you to visualize and understand the structure of the molecule better.

Recognizing what each part of a chemical formula means is crucial. The element symbols (C, H, O) indicate types of atoms, and the numbers (called subscripts) next to each symbol tell you how many of those atoms are in one molecule of the substance.

subscripts in chemistry

Subscripts in chemistry are those small numbers you see set slightly below the line of text in a chemical formula. They are incredibly vital because they tell you the exact number of each type of atom in a molecule.

When you see \( \mathrm{C}_{145} \mathrm{H}_{293} \mathrm{O}_{168} \), the 145 is the subscript for Carbon (C), the 293 is the subscript for Hydrogen (H), and the 168 is the subscript for Oxygen (O). Without these subscripts, you wouldn't know how many atoms of each kind are present.

Remember, if there is no subscript written, it usually means there's only one atom of that element. For example, in \( \mathrm{H}_2\mathrm{O} \) (water), there are two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom.

atom counting

Atom counting is the process of determining the number of each type of atom in a molecule. This is a straightforward but critical step in understanding any chemical substance.

Let's see how this works using the molecule from our exercise, \( \mathrm{C}_{145} \mathrm{H}_{293} \mathrm{O}_{168} \). Start by identifying the different elements and their respective subscripts:

• Carbon (C): 145 atoms
• Hydrogen (H): 293 atoms
• Oxygen (O): 168 atoms

To find the total number of atoms in the molecule, just add these numbers together: \[145 + 293 + 168 = 606\]. So, there are 606 atoms in one molecule of \( \mathrm{C}_{145} \mathrm{H}_{293} \mathrm{O}_{168} \).