Which of the following has (i) maximum (ii) minimum mass ?
(a) 1 gram atom of C
(b) 1 a.m.u. of an atom
(c) 1 gram mole of sulphur dioxide
(d) `6.02 xx 10^(20)` atoms of nitrogen.

Answer

To determine which of the given options has the maximum and minimum mass, we will analyze each option step by step.

### Step 1: Analyze 1 gram atom of Carbon (C)
- A "gram atom" refers to 1 mole of an element.
- The atomic weight of Carbon (C) is 12 g/mol.
- Therefore, 1 gram atom of Carbon weighs **12 grams**.

### Step 2: Analyze 1 a.m.u. of an atom
- 1 atomic mass unit (a.m.u.) is defined as 1/12 of the mass of a Carbon-12 atom.
- The mass of 1 a.m.u. is approximately **1.66 x 10^-24 grams**.

### Step 3: Analyze 1 gram mole of Sulphur Dioxide (SO₂)
- The molecular weight of Sulphur Dioxide (SO₂) can be calculated as follows:
- Atomic weight of Sulphur (S) = 32 g/mol
- Atomic weight of Oxygen (O) = 16 g/mol
- Therefore, the molecular weight of SO₂ = 32 + (2 × 16) = 32 + 32 = **64 grams**.

### Step 4: Analyze 6.02 x 10^20 atoms of Nitrogen (N)
- The atomic weight of Nitrogen (N) is 14 g/mol.
- The mass of one atom of Nitrogen can be calculated as:
- Mass of one atom = 14 g / (6.023 x 10^23 atoms) = **2.32 x 10^-23 grams**.
- To find the mass of 6.02 x 10^20 atoms of Nitrogen:
- Mass = (6.02 x 10^20 atoms) × (2.32 x 10^-23 grams/atom) = **1.40 grams**.

### Summary of Masses
- (a) 1 gram atom of C = 12 grams
- (b) 1 a.m.u. of an atom = 1.66 x 10^-24 grams
- (c) 1 gram mole of SO₂ = 64 grams
- (d) 6.02 x 10^20 atoms of N = 1.40 grams

### Conclusion
- **Maximum mass**: 1 gram mole of Sulphur Dioxide (64 grams)
- **Minimum mass**: 1 a.m.u. of an atom (1.66 x 10^-24 grams)