Question

7a student says that na₂so₄ has \7 elements\ because the formula has 7 total atoms. explain why the student is incorrect. identify the correct number of elements and atoms in na₂so₄.

Explanation:

Elements are different types of atoms. In $Na_2SO_4$, the sub - scripts indicate the number of atoms of each element. Sodium ($Na$), sulfur ($S$), and oxygen ($O$) are the elements. The number of atoms is calculated by multiplying the sub - script by the coefficient (in this case, the coefficient is 1). There are 2 sodium atoms, 1 sulfur atom, and 4 oxygen atoms.

Answer:

The student is incorrect because elements and atoms are different concepts. The number of elements in $Na_2SO_4$ is 3 (sodium, sulfur, oxygen). The number of atoms is 7 (2 sodium + 1 sulfur + 4 oxygen).