When I calculate 9.89g of caffeine (C8H10N4O2) into number of atoms I divide the mass by atomic mass of the compound then multiply by Avogadro's number. This equals 3.07*10^22 atoms of caffeine.  When I calculate the number of atoms of N within the caffeine compound, I multiply by the mole ratio of 4. How do I explain that there are more atoms of N than the actual compound?

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Author:Steven S. Zumdahl, Susan A. Zumdahl, Donald J. DeCoste
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When I calculate 9.89g of caffeine (C8H10N4O2) into number of atoms I divide the mass by atomic mass of the compound then multiply by Avogadro's number. This equals 3.07*10^22 atoms of caffeine. 

When I calculate the number of atoms of N within the caffeine compound, I multiply by the mole ratio of 4. How do I explain that there are more atoms of N than the actual compound? 

Expert Solution
Step 1: Introduction

Your calculations are on the right track, but it's important to understand the concept of the mole ratio and the fact that molecules consist of multiple atoms of different elements. In caffeine (C8H10N4O2), there are indeed more atoms of nitrogen (N) than the actual compound, and this is due to the way molecules are structured.

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