GENERAL CHEMISTRY 1 REVIEWER

Module 2: Mole Concept

KEY TERMS
Avogadro’s number The number of items in a mole,
equal to 6.02 × 1023
empirical formula The simplest or smallest whole-
number ratio of the atoms in a formula
formula unit The group of ions represented by the
formula of an ionic compound
mass percent composition The percent by mass of
the elements in a formula
molar mass The mass in grams of 1 mol of an element is
equal numerically to its atomic mass. The molar mass of a
compound is equal to the sum of the masses of the
elements in the formula
mole A group of atoms, molecules, or formula units that
contains 6.02 × 1023 of these items
molecular formula The actual formula that gives the
number of atoms of each type of element in the compound

FLOWCHART FOR MOLE CONVERSIONS

GENERAL RULES IN CALCULATIONS

1. Round off and apply the rules of significant figures only when you reach the final answer.
• This means refraining from rounding off in the middle of the solution
• When the answer from the previous number is used in the next number,
in solving
2. Use the given to determine the number of significant figures of the final answer.
• In case there is no given (for ex, percentage calculations using molar mass), you may refer to the molar
mass for the SF.
3. Molar Mass
• In reporting the molar mass of the substance, use the whole value (usually 2 decimal places). This is
because molar mass calculations are mainly addition (hence, rules for addition SF apply). The only time we
do multiplication in molar mass is when we multiply it to the subscript which states the count of atoms of
the element in the formula. The subscript is a counting value, an exact value; therefore, it has unlimited SF
and should not be included in determining the SF of the molar mass.
• In mole to mass (v/v) calculations, use the whole value of the molar mass (2 decimal places).
4. In mole to particle calculations, avoid using the Avogadro’s number to determine SF. Again, from Rule 2,
refer to the given.
CORE CHEMISTRY SKILLS

• The molar mass of a compound is the sum of the molar Calculate the molar mass of the following:
mass of each element in its chemical formula multiplied EASY
by its subscript in the formula. 1. NaCl, table salt
2. BaOH, barium hydroxide
Example: Calculate the molar mass of pinene, C10H16, a 3. AlF3
component of pine tree sap. 4. FeSO4, iron supplement
5. KBrO4

AVERAGE
1. KC4H5O6, cream of tartar
2. C7H5NO3S, saccharin, an artificial sweetener
3. C16H19N3O5S, amoxicillin, an antibiotic

DIFFICULT
Answer: 1. Al2(SO4)3, antiperspirant
2. (NH4)2CO3, baking powder
3. Zn(C2H3O2)2, zinc dietary supplement

Video Tutorials:
• Basic: https://youtu.be/6zfFgstQ7Ko
• Special types of compounds with parenthesis and
subscripts: https://youtu.be/yhSWqqnetFs

• Molar mass is used as a conversion factor to convert Solve the following problems:
between the moles and grams of a substance 1. Calculate the mass, in grams, in 0.150 mol of each
of the following
Equality: 1 mol Al = 26.98 g Al a. Ne
b. I2
Conversion Factors:
c. Na2O
d. Ca(NO3)2
e. C6H14

Example: The frame of a bicycle contains 6500 g of 2. Calculate the number of moles in 25.0g of each of
aluminum. How many moles of aluminum are in the bicycle the following
frame? a. He
Answer: b. O2
c. Ga2S3
d. Al(OH)3
e. C4H10
Video Tutorial: https://youtu.be/pwbO17Npi8U

• In chemistry, atoms, molecules, and ions are counted
by the mole 1abbreviated mol in calculations2, a unit
that contains 6.02 × 1023 items, which is Avogadro’s
number.
• The units of Avogadro’s number depends on the
substance
Solve the following problems
1. Calculate each of the following:
a. number of Ag atoms in 0.200 mol of Ag
b. number of C3H8O molecules in 0.750 mol of
the compound
c. number of Cr atoms in 1.25 mol of Cr

2. Calculate each of the following

Element 6.02 × 1023 atoms a. moles of Fe in 5.22 × 1022 atoms of Fe
Covalent Compound 6.02 × 1023 molecules
 ex. H2O, CO2 b. moles of BaS in 4.17 × 1024 formula units of
23
Ionic Compound 6.02 × 10 formula units BaS
ex. NaCl, BaS c. moles of CCl4 in 2.26 ×1023 moleculess of CCl4

• Avogadro’s number is used to convert between 3. Calculate each of the following

particles and moles a. number of Cl atoms in 3.0 g of Cl
b. number of I2 molecules in 7.56 g of I2
Equality: 1 mol Al = 6.02 × 1023 atoms Al c. mass in grams of 9.23 × 1015 formula units of
Conversion Factors: RbI
d. mass in grams of 2.76 × 1021 atoms of Xe

Example: How many moles of nickel contain 2.45 × 1024 Ni

atoms?
Answer:

Video Tutorial: https://youtu.be/Nkaxgn0g9O0

• The mass of a compound contains a definite proportion
by mass of its elements.
• The mass percent of an element in a compound is
calculated by dividing the mass of that element by the
mass of the compound.
Solve the following problems
1. Calculate the mass percent composition of the
following substances:
a. 0.890 g Ba and 1.04 g Br
b. 2.82 g of K and 1.18 g of I
c. 3.29 g of N, 0.946 g of H and 3.76 g of S
d. 4.14 g of C, 0.695 g of H, and 2.76 g of O

2. Calculate the mass percent composition of each of

*Moles is the subscript of the element in the formula
Example: Dinitrogen tetroxide, N2O4, is used in liquid fuels
for rockets. What is the mass percent of nitrogen?
Answer:
Calculate the molar mass of N2O4.
3. The odor of pears is due to the organic compound
the following
a. MgF2, magnesium fluoride
b. Ca(OH)2, calcium hydroxide
c. C4H8O4, erythrose, a carbohydrate
d. (NH4)3PO4, ammonium phosphate, a fertilizer
e. C17H19NO3, morphine, a painkiller
called propyl acetate, which has a formula of
C5H10O2. What is its mass percent composition?

4. The organic compound ethylene glycol, C2H6O2,

used as automobile antifreeze, is a sweet-tasting
Use the formula above. Note that moles represents the liquid, which is toxic to humans and animals. What
subscript in the formula. is the mass percent composition of ethylene glycol?

Video Tutorial: https://youtu.be/SoAxYRGK-hM

• The empirical formula or simplest formula represents Solve the following problems
the lowest whole-number ratio of the atoms and 1. Calculate the empirical formula for each of the
therefore moles of elements in a compound. following:
• To calculate the empirical formula, the grams of each a. 70.9% K and 29.1% S
element are converted to moles and divided by the b. 76.0% Zn and 24.0% P
smallest number of moles to obtain the lowest whole- c. 29.1% Na, 20.6% S, and 30.3% O
number ratio. d. 19.8% C, 2.20% H, and 78.0% Cl

2. Calculate the empirical formula for each of the

Example: Calculate the empirical formula for a compound following:
that contains 3.28 g of Cr and 6.72 g of Cl. a. 3.57 g of N and 2.04 g of O
b. 7.00 g of C and 1.75 g of H
Answer: c. 0.175 g of H, 2.44 g of N, and 8.38 g of O
Convert the grams of each element to moles. d. 2.06 g of Ca, 2.66 g of Cr, and 3.28 g of O

3. Phosphine is a highly toxic compound used for pest

and rodent control. If a sample of phosphine
contains 0.456 g of P and 0.0440 g of H, what is its
empirical formula?

4. Sulfate of potash is the common name of a

compound used in fertilizers to supply potassium
Divide by the smallest number of moles (in this ex, 0.0631 and sulfur. What is the empirical formula of this
moles). Round off the nearest whole number. compound if it has a mass percent composition of
44.9% K, 18.4% S, and 36.7% O?

Use the whole numbers as subscripts of the elements to the

formulas.
Cr1Cl3 or CrCl3

Example: What is the empirical formula of tetrachloroethene

if its mass percent composition is 14.5% C and 85.5% Cl?

Answer:
Assume 100g of the compound was produced to equate
percentage to the elements’ mass.
C: 14.5% of 100g = 14.5 g
Cl: 85.5% of 100g = 85.5 g

Convert the grams of each element to moles.

Divide by the smallest number of moles. (In this case, 1.21

mol is the smallest).
Use the lowest whole number ratios as subscripts.

Video Tutorial: https://youtu.be/oqJSbSij2I0

• A molecular formula is related to the empirical formula Solve the following problems
by a small whole number 1integer2 such as 1, 2, or 3. 1. A compound has an empirical formula of CH2O.
Indicate if each of the following could be a possible
Molecular Formula = small integer (n) × empirical formula molecular formula.
a. CH2O
b. C2H4O
• If the empirical formula mass and the molar mass are
c. C2H4O2
known for a compound, an integer can be calculated by
d. C5H10O5
dividing the molar mass by the empirical formula mass.
e. C6H12O

2. Write the empirical formula for each of the following

substances
a. H2O2, peroxide
b. C18H12, chrysene, used in the manufacture of
Example: Cymene, a component in oil of thyme, has an dyes
empirical formula C5H7 and an experimental molar mass of c. C10H16O2, chrysanthemic acid, in pyrethrum
135 g. What is the molecular formula of cymene? flowers
d. C9H18O6, altretamine, an anticancer medication
Answer: e. C2H4N2O2, oxamide, a fertilizer
Calculate the molar mass of the empirical formula.
3. Caffeine has an empirical formula of C4H5N2O. If it
has an experimental molar mass of 194 g, what is
the molecular formula of caffeine?

4. The insecticide lindane has a mass percent

composition of 24.78% C, 2.08% H, and 73.14%
Cl. If its experimental molar mass is 290 g, what is
Use the formula to get the small integer, n. the molecular formula?

5. Mevalonic acid is involved in the biosynthesis of

cholesterol. Mevalonic acid is 48.63% C, 8.16% H,
and 43.20% O. If mevalonic acid has an
experimental molar mass of 148 g, what is its
Multiply the small integer to the subscripts of the empirical molecular formula?
formula.
C(5×2)H(7×2) → C10H14

Video Tutorial: https://youtu.be/Elp3HnhbUxY