To determine the approximate number of atoms in a compound like Al2O3 (aluminum oxide), we need to consider the subscripts in the chemical formula.
In Al2O3, the subscript 2 indicates that there are two atoms of aluminum (Al) in each molecule of aluminum oxide. The subscript 3 indicates that there are three atoms of oxygen (O) in each molecule of aluminum oxide.
To calculate the total number of atoms, we multiply the number of molecules by the number of atoms in each molecule. So, for Al2O3, we have:
2 (number of Al atoms per molecule) × 3 (number of O atoms per molecule) = 6
Therefore, there are approximately 6 atoms in each molecule of Al2O3.