The relative atomic mass of sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) cannot be expressed as a whole number because it is a compound composed of multiple elements. The relative atomic mass (also known as the molar mass or molecular weight) of a compound is the sum of the atomic masses of all the atoms in the compound.
To calculate the relative atomic mass of sulfuric acid, we need to consider the atomic masses of hydrogen (H), sulfur (S), and oxygen (O) and their respective ratios in the compound. Here are the atomic masses of the elements:
Hydrogen (H): 1.00784 u Sulfur (S): 32.06 u Oxygen (O): 15.999 u
The molecular formula of sulfuric acid is H₂SO₄, which means it contains two hydrogen atoms, one sulfur atom, and four oxygen atoms. We can calculate the relative atomic mass as follows:
Relative atomic mass of H₂SO₄ = (2 * atomic mass of H) + (atomic mass of S) + (4 * atomic mass of O) Relative atomic mass of H₂SO₄ = (2 * 1.00784 u) + 32.06 u + (4 * 15.999 u) Relative atomic mass of H₂SO₄ ≈ 98.09 u
Therefore, the relative atomic mass of sulfuric acid is approximately 98.09 atomic mass units (u). It is not a whole number due to the presence of different elements and their respective atomic masses in the compound.