Sulfur dioxide, or SO_2, is a molecule composed of one sulfur atom and two oxygen atoms. It plays significant roles in both natural and industrial processes. It's a gas at room temperature, known for its pungent smell, often associated with burning sulfur.
When looking at sulfur dioxide in chemical reactions or in stoichiometric calculations, it's essential to note its molecular composition. Each SO_2 molecule includes:
- 1 sulfur atom
- 2 oxygen atoms
Given this composition, if you have a mole of SO_2, you're dealing with the equivalent number of sulfur atoms as molecules, and twice that number of oxygen atoms. Hence, if you have 1.75 moles of SO_2, you directly have 1.054 x 10^{24} sulfur atoms, and twice that count for oxygen atoms, equating to 2.108 x 10^{24}.