The Mole Concept

RAM, RMM, and RFM

The relative atomic mass (Ar) is the average mass of one atom of an element compared with the mass
of one atom of carbon-12 which has a mass of exactly 12.00 units.

Relative atomic mass applies to single atoms.

The relative molecular mass (Mr) is the average mass of one molecule of an element or compound
compared with the mass of one atom of carbon-12 which has a mass of exactly 12.00 units.

Relative Molecular mass applies to covalent compounds.

The relative formula mass is the average mass of one formula unit of a compound of an element
compared with the mass of one atom of carbon-12 which has a mass of exactly 12.00 units.

Relative Formula mass applies to ionic compounds.

RMM and RFM are actually the same thing but strictly speaking, it would not be right to speak about the
Relative Molecular Mass of ionic compounds when ionic compounds does not consists of molecules but
rather ions.

Calculating RAM, RMM and RFM

RAM-usually taken to the nearest whole number and it is found by taking the mass number if the
isotope which occurs in the highest proportion.

e.g Sodium: Na = 23

Aluminum: Al = 27

Oxygen: O = 16

Fluorine: F = 19

Manganese: Mn = 55

Iron: Fe = 56

Copper: Cu = 64

Scandium: Sc = 45

RMM- is calculated by adding together the relative atomic masses of the all the atoms in the molecule.

e.g Chlorine gas: Cl2 = 2 x 35.5 = 71

Nitrogen gas: N2 = (2 x 14) = 28

Water: H2O = (2 x 1) + 16 = 2 + 16 = 18

Sucrose: C12H22O11 = (12 x 12) + (22 x 1) + (11 x 16) =

Ammonium: NH4 =
Tetraphosphorous Hexoxide: P4O6

Dichlorine Heptoxide: Cl2O7

Phosphorous Pentachloride: PCl5

Relative Formula mass is calculated by adding together the relative atomic masses of all the ions in the
formula unit.

e.g Aluminum Oxide: Al2O3 = (2 x 27) + (3 x 16) = 54 +48 = 102

Ammonium Sulphate: (NH4)2SO4 = (2 x 14) + (8 x 1) + 32 + (4 x 16) = 28 + 8 + 32 + 64 = 132

Calcium Hydroxide: Ca(OH)2

Magnesium Phosphate: Mg3(PO4)2

Zinc Nitrate: Zn(NO3)2

Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate: NaHCO3

Potassium Dichromate: K2Cr2O7

THE MOLE

1 dozen = 12 things

1 dozen car = 12 cars

1 dozen eggs = 12 eggs

If 1 egg = 2 g then 12 eggs = 1 dozen eggs = 24 g

If 1 car = 3000 kg then 12 cars = 1 dozen cars = 36000 kg

So a dozen represents an amount of things, 12 things to be exact.

1 mole is kind of like a dozen, it represents an amount of things.

1 mole = 602 hexillion things.

1 mole of cars = 602 hexillion cars

1 mole of eggs = 602 hexillion eggs

1 mole = 602, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000 things

1 mole = 6.02 x 1023 things

A sense of how big is a mole- a mole of jelly beans will cover the entire earth and a mole of donuts, if
stacked, one on the other will reach the sun and back to the earth 200 billion times.
In chemistry, we talk about much smaller things, we talk about atoms, we talk about molecules and we
talk about ions. Now in this container (diagram on board) I have some sulphur atoms, but not just any
amount of sulphur atoms, but can anyone guess how much sulphur atoms? That’s right, I have a mole of
sulphur atoms or 602 hexillion sulphur atoms or 6.02 x 10 23 sulphur atoms.

1 mole of jellybeans covers the entire earth, but one mole of sulphur atoms, takes up just the space in
this container. That goes to show how small one sulphur atom is, compared to a jellybean.

A mole is the amount of a substance that contains the same number of particles as there are atoms in
12.00 g of carbon-12.

The word ‘amount’ refer to mass or volume if referring to a gas.

The word ‘particles’ may be atoms, molecules or ions (formula units).

It has been found that 12.00 g of carbon-12 contain 6.02 x 10 23 carbon atoms. This number is called
Avogadro number or Avogadro constant.

THE MOLE AND MASS

Let’s just say I work at a jellybeans factory and my job is to take the order from a customer for an
amount of jellybeans. 10, 20, even 100 jelly beans would be very easy to count out but what if someone
orders 1000 jelly beans and the line is very long? It would not be easy for me to count out 1000
jellybeans. So what can I do? Any suggestions? Bear in mind that I am allowed to use any instrument I
want.

If I know the mass of one jelly bean, then I can multiply it by 1000 and I’ll get the mass of 1000 jelly
beans. I can then use a scale to weigh out that amount and I’m guaranteed to get 1000 jelly beans. So
instead of counting out 1000 jellybeans I can just weigh out that amount.

The same thing applies in chemistry. If I want to one mole or 602 hexillion sulphur atoms, I cannot just
count it out because of two reasons.

1. A sulphur atom is too small for me to count it individually, its like counting the amount of sand
particles in a cup.

2. It would take me 20 quadrillion (20, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000) years to count up to a mole.

So the alternative is to find the mass of 1 sulphur atom and then multiply it by 602 hexillion and that
would be the mass of 1 mole of sulphur atoms.

I found out that 1 sulphur atom has a mass of 5.32 x 10 -23 g so how much would 1 mole of sulphur atoms
weigh?

I found that 1 Cl2 molecule has a mass of 1.18 x 10-22 g so how much would 1 mole of Cl2 molecule
weigh?

In terms of mass, one mole is the mass of a substance that contains 6.02 x 10 23 particles of that
substance. This mass is called the molar mass.

The molar mass is the relative atomic, molecular or formula mass expressed in grams.
Example:

1 mole of magnesium (Mg): contains 6.02 x 10 23 atoms of magnesium and has a mass of 24 grams.

1 mole of Carbon Dioxide (CO2): contains 6.02 x 1023 carbon dioxide molecules and has a mass of 12 + (2
x 16) = 44 grams

1 mole of Zinc Oxide (ZnO): contains 6.02 x 10 23 ZnO formula units and has a mass of 65 + 16 = 81 grams

How many particles (atoms, molecules, formula units) are there in the following and what mass does
one mole of each substance represent (what is the mass of one mole)?

1 mole of oxygen atoms?

1 mole of oxygen molecules?

1 mole of barium sulphate (BaSO4)?

1 mole of trinitrotoluene (C7H5N3O6)?

Formula: Number of moles = Mass/ Mass of one mole ; Number of moles = Mass/ Molar mass

Questions: 1. How many moles are there in 60 g of carbon?

Molar mass of Carbon, C = 12 gmol-1

Number of moles in 60 g C = 60g/12gmol-1 = 5 mol

2. How many moles are there in 42 g of nitrogen gas?

Mass of 1 mole of N2 = 2 x 14g = 28 gmol-1

Number of moles in 42 g of N2 = 42g/28gmol-1 = 1.5 mol

3. How many moles are there in 25.5 g of Aluminum Oxide (Al 2O3)?

Questions: 1. What is the mass of 0.25 mole of Aluminum Sulphate (Al 2SO4)3?

Transposing: Mass = Number of moles x mass of one mole ; Mass = Number of moles x Molar mass

Molar mass of Al2(SO4)3 = (2 x 27) + (3 x 32) + (12 x 16) = 342 gmol -1

Mass of 0.25 mol Al2(SO4)3 = 0.25mol x 342 gmol-1 = 85.5 g

2. What is the mass of 4 moles of Magnesium (Na)?

3. What is the mass of 0.75 mole of Sodium Chloride (NaCl)?

Formula: Number of moles = number of particles / 6.02 x 10 23

Questions: 1. How many moles of Iron(III) Sulphate Fe2(SO4)3 contain 3.01 x 1022 formula units of Iron
Sulphate?

1 mole Fe2(SO4)3 contains 6.02 x 1023 Fe2(SO4)3 formula units

Number of moles in 3.01 x 1022 formula units of Fe2(SO4)3 = 3.01 x 1022/ 6.02 x 1023 = 0.05 mol
2. How many moles of glucose contain 1.505 x 10 24 molecules of glucose?

3. How many moles of Titanium (Ti) (RAM = 48) contain 3.612 x 10 24 atoms of titanium?

Questions: 1. How many ammonia molecules are there in 0.25 mole of ammonia?

1 mole of ammonia, NH3 contains 6.02 x 1023 molecules of ammonia

0.25 mole NH3 contains 0.25 x 6.02 x 1023 = 1.505 x 1023 molecules of ammonia

2. How many carbon atoms are there in 0.1 mole of carbon?

3. How many potassium dichromate formula units are there in 0.001 mole of potassium dichromate?

Questions: 1. How many hydrogen molecules are there in 10 g of hydrogen?

Both Formula

Mass of one mole H2 = 2 x 1 = 2 gmol-1

Number of moles in 10 g H2 = 10g/ 2gmol-1 = 5 mol

1 mole H2 = 6.02 x 1023 H2 molecules

Therefore 5 moles of H2 = 5 x 6.02 x 1023 = 3.01 x 1024 H2 molecules

2. How many Silicon atoms are there in 40g of silicon?

3. What is the mass of 6.02 x 1020 formula units of Aluminum Chloride (AlCl 2)?

Bonus: What mass of nitrogen contains the same number of molecules as 5.4 g of water?

THE MOLE AND GAS VOLUMES

Avogadro’s Law

Equal volumes of all gases at the same temperature and pressure contain the same number of
molecules.

Since 1 mole of any gas contains 6.02 x 10 23 molecules of that gas, if the number of molecules in each
gas is 6.02 x 1023, then it follows that 1 mole of all gases under the same conditions of temperature and
pressure have the same volume.

The molar volume of a gas is the volume occupied by one mole of that gas.

 At standard temperature and pressure- s.t.p (0 0C, 760 mm Hg)- molar volume = 22.4 dm 3
 At room temperature and pressure- r.t.p (20 0C, 760 mm Hg)- molar volume = 24 dm 3

Example: 1 mole of Oxygen gas, O2: has a volume of 22.4 dm3 at s.t.p or 24 dm3 at r.t.p and contains 6.02
x 1023 molecules.

1 mole of Hydrogen gas, H2: has a volume of 22.4 dm3 at s.t.p or 24 dm3 at r.t.p and contains 6.02 x 1023
molecules.
Formula: Number of moles = volume of gas/ 22.4 dm 3 (at s.t.p)

Number of moles = volume of gas/ 22.4 dm 3 (at s.t.p)

Questions: 1.How many moles are there in 1.12 dm3 of ammonia at s.t.p?

Volume of 1 mole NH3 at s.t.p = 22.4dm3

Number of moles in 1.12 dm3 NH3 = 1.12dm3/22.4dm3mol-1 = 0.05 mol

2. How many moles are there in 0.024 dm 3 of carbon dioxide at r.t.p?

3. How many moles are there in 67.2 dm 3 of chlorine gas at s.t.p?

Questions: 1.What volume is occupied by 0.25 mole of carbon monoxide at r.t.p?

Volume of 1 mole CO at r.t.p = 24 dm 3

Volume of 0.25 mole CO = 0.25 x 24 dm 3 = 6 dm3

2. What volume is occupied by 5 moles of Hydrogen Bromide (HBr) at s.t.p?

3. What volume is occupied by 0.005 mole of Nitrogen gas at r.t.p?

Questions: 1.What is the volume of 17.75 g of chlorine at s.t.p?

Both Formula

Mass of one mole Cl2 = 2 x 35.5 = 71 g

Number of moles in 17.75 g Cl2 = 17.75 g/71gmol-1 = 0.25 mol

Volume of 1 mole Cl2 at s.t.p = 22.4 dm3

Volume of 0.25 mole Cl2 = 0.25 x 22.4 dm3 = 5.6 dm3

2. What is the volume of 59.5 g of ammonia at r.t.p?

3. What is the volume of 15.84 g of Carbon dioxide at s.t.p?

Questions: 1.What is the mass of 6 dm3 of Oxygen at r.t.p?

2. What is the mass of 18 dm3 of propane (C3H8) at r.t.p?

3. What is the mass of 11.4888 dm3 of Nitric oxide (NO) at s.t.p?

Bonus: How many molecules of sulphur dioxide (SO 2) are there in 10.528 dm3 of sulphur dioxide at s.t.p?

THE LAW OF CONSTANT COMPOSITION (Applies to compounds)

States that all pure samples of the same chemical compound always contain the same elements
combined together in the same proportion by mass.
A chemical formula shows how many moles of each element combine to form one mole of the
compound. E.g H2O represents 2 moles of hydrogen atoms combined with one mole of oxygen atoms.

What is law is saying is that by taking different samples of the same compound, the ratio of the
elements is always the same so all molecules of Carbon monoxide will contain one molecule of carbon
and one molecule of oxygen. If the proportion of one element in the compound is changed, the a
different compound is formed (unlike salt water- no matter how much salt you add to a glass of water,
be it a spoonful or 3 spoons full, it is still salt water)

- The empirical formula shows the simplest mole ratio of each element present in the compound
- The molecular formula is a multiple of the empirical formula and shows the actual number of
moles of each element present in one mole of a molecular substance.

NB: The empirical formula and the molecular formula may be the same

The molecular formula is a a whole number scale factor of the empirical formula

Questions:

Example

1. 2.4 g of magnesium ribbon was burnt in air and 4.0 g of magnesium oxide was produced. What is the
empirical formula of magnesium oxide?

Mg O

Mass of element 2.4 g 1.6 g

Ar of element 24 16

Number of moles of element 2.4/24 1.6/16

= 0.1 mole = 0.1 mole

Simplest mole ratio 0.1/ 0.1 0.1/0.1

=1 : 1

Empirical formula = MgO

2. What is the empirical formula of a compound containing 40 % of sulphur and 60 % of oxygen by

mass?

Assuming 100g of the compound

S O

% of element 40% 60%

Mass of element 40 g 60 g

Ar of element 32 16
Number of moles of element 40/32 60/16

= 1.25 = 3.75

Simplest mole ratio 1.25/ 1.25 3.75/1.25

=1 : 3

Multiply till whole - -

Empirical formula = SO3

1. A compound is found to contain 23.3% magnesium, 30.7% sulphur and 46% oxygen. What is the
empirical formula of this compound? Ans: MgSO 3

2. Determine the empirical formula for a 6.5 g compound containing 2.51 g of carbon, 1.05 g of
hydrogen and 2.24 g of N

3. On analysis, a compound is found to contain the elements potassium, phosphorous and oxygen. If it
contains 59.19% potassium, 14.62% phosphorous and 30.19% oxygen, Determine the empirical formula
of this compound? Ans: K3PO4

4. A 50 g sample of a compound contains the elements Na, Cr and O. If there is 9.1 g Na, and 20.6 g Cr
and 22.2 g oxygen, determine the empirical formula for the compound.

5. Determine the empirical formula for a compound containing 26.1 % carbon, 4.3% hydrogen and 69.6
% oxygen by weight

6. A sample of an oxide of nitrogen is found to contain 30.4% nitrogen. What is its empirical formula?

Ans: NO2

7. A 100g sample of a compound of sodium contains 36.5 g of sodium, 25.4 g of sulfur and 38.1 g of
oxygen. What is the empirical formula

8. What is the empirical formula for a compound containing 26.57% potassium, 35.36% chromium and
the 38.07% oxygen? Ans: K2Cr2O7

Questions:

1. 3g of carbon and 0.5 g of hydrogen combine with oxygen to make a compound whose mass is 7.5 g
and whose RMM is 60. Determine the molecular formula of this compound.

C H O

Mass of element 3g 0.5 g 7.5-3.5= 4g

Ar of element 12 1 16

Number of moles of element 3/12 0.5/1 4/16

 = 0.25 mole = 0.5 mole = 0.25

Simplest mole ratio 0.25/ 0.25 0.5/0.25 0.25/0.25

=1 : 2 : 1

Empirical formula = CH2O

Molecular Formula

RMM of CH2O = 12 + (2 x 1) + 16 = 30

RMM of compound = 60

Scale factor =60/30 = 2

Molecular formula = scale factor x empirical formula

2 x CH2O = C2H4O2

2. What is the percentage, by mass, of nitrogen in ammonium nitrate?

Formula: NH4NO3

Mass of one mole NH4NO3= 14 + (4 x1) + 14 + (3 x 16) = 80 g

Mass of nitrogen in 1 mole NH4NO3= 14 + 14 = 28 g

% Nitrogen = 28/80 x 100 = 35%

3. Caffeine has the following percent composition, carbon 49.48%, hydrogen 5.19%, oxygen 16.48% and
nitrogen 28.85%. Its molecular weight is 194 g/mol. What is its molecular formula?

4. The molecular formula for a compound is C 6H12O6. What is its empirical formula and what is the
percentage, by mass composition of each element in the compound?

5. The molecular formula for a compound is C 39H30N6O9S3 . What is its empirical formula and what is the
percentage, by mass composition of each element in the compound?

2 Ca ( NO 3 )2 ( s ) → 2CaO ( s ) + 4 N O 2 ( g ) +O 2 ( g)