Introduction to Mole Concept

In building construction, contractors buy blocks and bricks by the hundreds while in the culinary
arts, chefs and bakers buy eggs by the dozen. These numbers are convenient to the contractors
and the bakers, respectively.

In like manner, chemists need a convenient number to measure atoms. It has to be a big enough
number for the atoms to be weighed easily, seeing that they are so small. This number would be
very useful, bearing in mind that atoms, molecules and ions are far too small to be seen, much
less to be weighed individually or in small groups.

In solving this problem, chemists use what is called a relative atomic mass scale in which the
mass of an element is determined by comparison with a standard. This standard is 1/12th the mass
of a carbon-12 ( 12C ) atom and is given a mass of one atomic mass unit (a.m.u).
On this scale, one atom of the 12C atom weighs exactly 12 a.m.u as shown on the number scale
below.

As shown on the scale magnesium-24 (24Mg) atoms are twice as heavy as 12C atoms and hence is
marked on the scale at 24amu (2 x 12 = 24). In other words, a 24Mg atom is 24 times as heavy as
1/12th the mass of one 12C atom therefore the relative atomic mass of magnesium is 24 amu.
The scale does not start at carbon because some atoms are lighter than carbon-for example
hydrogen and helium.
● The relative atomic mass (RAM) of an element is the number of times an average
atom of the element is heavier than 1/12 of the mass of a 12C atom.

This average is the weighted average of the relative atomic masses of the isotopes of the element
(Relative Isotopic Mass). Weighted averages take into consideration the relative amounts of each
quantity as shown by the example below.

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A naturally occurring sample of chlorine gas exists as two isotopes 35Cl and 37Cl having relative
percentage abundances of 75% and 25% respectively. The RAM would therefore be quoted as a
weighted average of the two isotopic masses (35 X 75) + (37 X 25)/100 = 35.5, the RAM of
chlorine is therefore 35.5 amu. This means that on average a chlorine atom is 35.5 times as heavy
as 1/12 the mass of one 12C atom.

The same scale can be used to find relative masses of molecules. The 12C atom is again taken as
standard, but this time, the scale is called the relative molecular mass scale (RMM).
● The relative molecular mass, RMM, is the number of times an average molecule
of a substance is heavier than 1/12th of the mass of a carbon 12 atom.
The RMM of a substance is calculated as the total of the RAM of all the atoms of the
various elements that make up the molecule. The more general term of Relative Formula
Mass is used so as not to limit the concept to molecular compounds only. Relative formula
mass is defined as the number of times the mass of a compound represented by its formula
unit is heavier than 1/12th the mass of a 12C atom
The following steps may be observed when determining the relative molecular mass or
relative formula mass of a compound:
1. Identify the atoms or ions present
2. Multiply the relative atomic mass of each or atom or ion by the number of such atoms or
ions present in the formula unit or molecule of the compound.
3. Add the products obtained.
For example, HCl. The RAM of H=1; RAM of Cl=35.5

Compound RAM RMM

HCl, Hydrogen H=1 1H 1x1=1
Chloride Cl=35.5 1Cl 1x35.5=35.5
36.5amu

Here are other examples:

Compound Formula Adding up RAM’s

Water H2O 2H 2x1= 2
2
 1O 1x16=16
18amu
Carbon dioxide CO2 1C 1x12=12
2O 2x16=32
44amu
Sodium Carbonate Na2CO3 2Na 2x23=46
1C 1x12=12
3O 3x16=48
106amu

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 The Mole

The photograph to the right shows 12g of Carbon.

The heap contains 602,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 (6.02 x
1023) carbon atoms. 6.02 x 1023 is known as the Avogadro’s
Number, named after an Italian scientist. Avogadro’s number
of any particle is called a mole.
● The mole is the amount of substance which contains as
many particles (atoms, molecules or ions) as there are atoms in 12.000 g of carbon-12.
From the definition above it can be concluded that the mass of one mole of the atoms of any
element is equal to the relative atomic mass of that element in grams. For example the mass of
one mole of sodium atoms is 22.9897 g which is often rounded off to 23g. Given the relationship
between RAM and RMM/RFM it would follow that one mole of a substance has a mass that is
the same as the RFM or RMM, expressed in grams and is simply referred to as the molar mass of
that particular substance and is usually expressed in gmol-1.

The RAM of gold (Au) is 197. This ring weighs 197g therefore it contains 6.02 x 1023 gold atoms
or 1 mole of gold atoms.

NB. The molar mass of a diatomic substance is equal to twice its

atomic mass.
Oxygen O2 is diatomic hence its RMM = 16 X 2 = 32amu. The molar mass of
Oxygen gas is 32g mol-1

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 Applications of moles and molar mass

1. Once the RAM of an element is known (these are all accurately recorded in the Periodic
Table), the RMM or RFM of a substance can be calculated, once the RMM or RFM is
known the molar mass of the substance can be deduced. Once molar masses are determined
one will be able to freely convert from given mass to equivalent moles and vice versa.

This is done by simple proportion where given mass is divided by molar mass to give
equivalent moles and given moles is multiplied by molar mass to give equivalent mass

For example:
(i) How moles are present in 10.6 g of Na2CO3?
Relative Atomic Masses: Na = 23; C =12; O =16
The RFM of Na2CO3 = 23x2 + 12 + 16x3 =106amu therefore 1 mole of Na2CO3 has a mass of
106g
Number of moles = Given mass (g)
Mass of 1 mole (g mol-1)
= 10.6g/106g mol-1
1.1 mol.

(ii) For example: What is the mass of 0.2 moles of calcium carbonate, CaCO3?
Relative atomic masses: C=12; O=16; Ca=40
First, we calculate the RFM of CaCO3 = 40+12+ (3x16) = 100
1 mol of CaCO3 weighs 100g
Mass (g) = no. of moles x mass of 1 mole (molar mass) (gmol-1)
= 0.2 mole x 100 gmol-1
= 20g
0.2 mole of CaCO3 has a mass of 20g.

2. The number of individual entities or particles, (atoms, molecules or ions), can also be
calculated from the RAM and RFM. Earlier, we said that 1 mole of a substance is the

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 amount of that substance that contains the same number of atoms as the 12 C atom. This is
the Avogadro’s number, 6.02 x 1023 atoms. It follows that 1 mole of any substance contains
this number of particles, be it, atoms, molecules or ions. In simple terms, if the number of
particles or individual entities is known, then the number of moles of the same substances
can be found and vice versa.
For example:
(i) How many atoms are present in 57g of Aluminium (Al) metal?
For a question like this, the first thing to do is to state that which we already know.

The molar mass of Al is 27g mol-1

This means that 27g of Al metal contain 6.02 x1023 Al atoms.
We need to find the number of atoms present in 56g.
27g of Aluminium metal contain 6.02 x1023 Aluminium atoms,
therefore 56g of Aluminium metal contain 56g x (6.02 x 1023 atoms) = 1.24 x 1024 atoms
27g
(ii) How many moles of Aluminium are comprised of 1.24 x 1024 atoms?
Again, we put in the information we know.
6.02 x 1023 atoms are contained in 1 mole of Aluminium.
We want to find the number of moles that 1.24 x 1024 atoms of aluminium contain.
6.02 x 1023 atoms are contained in 1 mole of Aluminium,
therefore1.24 x 1024 atoms of aluminium contain (1.24 x 1024 x 1mol) = 2.06 moles
6.02 x 1023
The same principle applies if we were to calculate the number of molecules in a given mass of a
gas or the number of moles contained in the given number of molecules of the gas.