To determine the total charge of the electrons removed from 1 kg of water, we first need to understand the composition of water and the properties of electrons. Water (H₂O) consists of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. Each atom has a certain number of electrons, and we can calculate the total number of electrons in 1 kg of water to find the overall charge.
Breaking Down the Components of Water
Water has a molecular weight of approximately 18 grams per mole. This means that in 1 kg (or 1000 grams) of water, we can calculate the number of moles:
- Number of moles of water = 1000 g / 18 g/mol ≈ 55.56 moles
Calculating the Number of Molecules
Next, we need to find out how many molecules of water are present in those moles. Using Avogadro's number, which is approximately 6.022 x 10²³ molecules per mole, we can calculate:
- Number of water molecules = 55.56 moles × 6.022 x 10²³ molecules/mole ≈ 3.34 x 10²⁵ molecules
Finding the Total Number of Electrons
Each water molecule (H₂O) contains 10 electrons (2 from the two hydrogen atoms and 8 from the oxygen atom). Therefore, the total number of electrons in 1 kg of water can be calculated as follows:
- Total electrons = 3.34 x 10²⁵ molecules × 10 electrons/molecule ≈ 3.34 x 10²⁶ electrons
Calculating the Total Charge
The charge of a single electron is approximately -1.6 x 10⁻¹⁹ coulombs. To find the total charge of all the electrons, we multiply the number of electrons by the charge of one electron:
- Total charge = 3.34 x 10²⁶ electrons × -1.6 x 10⁻¹⁹ C/electron ≈ -5.344 x 10⁷ coulombs
Understanding the Result
The negative sign indicates that this is a negative charge, which is expected since we are dealing with electrons. Therefore, if all the electrons from 1 kg of water were removed and collected together, the total charge would be approximately -53.44 million coulombs.
This large negative charge illustrates the significant number of electrons present in even a small amount of water. It also highlights the fundamental nature of electric charge and how it relates to the atomic structure of matter.