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Ch.2 - Atoms & Elements
Chapter 2, Problem 46

How many electrons are necessary to produce a charge of -1.0 C? What is the mass of this many electrons?

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1
Determine the charge of one electron, which is approximately -1.602 x 10^{-19} coulombs.
Calculate the number of electrons needed to produce a total charge of -1.0 C by dividing the total charge by the charge of one electron. Use the formula: \text{Number of electrons} = \frac{\text{Total charge}}{\text{Charge per electron}}.
Find the mass of one electron, which is approximately 9.109 x 10^{-31} kilograms.
Multiply the number of electrons calculated in step 2 by the mass of one electron to find the total mass of the electrons. Use the formula: \text{Total mass} = \text{Number of electrons} \times \text{Mass of one electron}.
Summarize the results to find the total number of electrons and their corresponding mass.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Charge of an Electron

An electron carries a fundamental charge of approximately -1.6 x 10^-19 coulombs. This negative charge is a basic property of electrons and is essential for understanding electric charge in atoms and molecules.
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Formal Charge

Calculating Number of Electrons

To find the number of electrons needed to produce a specific charge, divide the total charge by the charge of a single electron. For a charge of -1.0 C, the calculation involves dividing -1.0 C by -1.6 x 10^-19 C/electron, yielding the total number of electrons required.
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Number of Electrons in Shells

Mass of an Electron

The mass of a single electron is approximately 9.11 x 10^-31 kilograms. To find the total mass of a certain number of electrons, multiply the number of electrons by the mass of one electron, which allows for the conversion of charge into a corresponding mass.
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