Calculate mass of one oxygen atom
This number 16, is the mass in grams of one mole of oxygen. One mole of carbon is 6.022 x 10^23 atoms of carbon (Avogadro’s Number). This relation is then used to 'convert' a carbon atom to grams by the ratio:
mass of 1 atom / 1 atom = mass of a mole of atoms / 6.022 x 10^23 atoms
Plug in the atomic mass of carbon to solve for the mass of 1 atom:
> mass of 1 atom = mass of a mole of atoms / 6.022 x 10^23
> mass of 1 Oxygen atom = 16 g / 6.022 x 10^23 atoms
> mass of 1 Oxygen atom =2.65 x 10^-23 g.
mass of 1 atom / 1 atom = mass of a mole of atoms / 6.022 x 10^23 atoms
Plug in the atomic mass of carbon to solve for the mass of 1 atom:
> mass of 1 atom = mass of a mole of atoms / 6.022 x 10^23
> mass of 1 Oxygen atom = 16 g / 6.022 x 10^23 atoms
> mass of 1 Oxygen atom =2.65 x 10^-23 g.