1. Understand the Formula:
* Li₂O represents one molecule of lithium oxide.
* Li stands for lithium, and O stands for oxygen.
* The subscript "2" after Li indicates that there are two lithium atoms in each molecule.
2. Calculate Atoms per Molecule:
* One molecule of Li₂O contains 2 lithium atoms + 1 oxygen atom = 3 atoms.
3. Account for the Coefficient:
* The coefficient "4" in front of Li₂O indicates that there are 4 molecules of lithium oxide.
4. Calculate Total Atoms:
* 4 molecules of Li₂O * 3 atoms per molecule = 12 atoms
Therefore, there are 12 atoms in 4Li₂O.