Chapter 2

Molecules, Moles, and Chemical Equation

Introduction

Atoms and molecules are the building blocks of chemistry. You’ve probably
been hearing this since junior high school, so the existence of atoms is not something
that you are likely to question or challenge. Chances are that you rarely think about
atoms or molecules when you come across items in your day-to-day life. When
chemists want to understand some aspect of the world around them, they focus their
attention at the level of atoms and molecules. So an important part of studying
chemistry is learning how to interpret nature by thinking about what atoms and
molecules are doing.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of this chapter you should be able to:

✓ Determine the molecular weight of a chemical formula.

✓ Calculate the number of moles in a compound.
✓ Explain the relationship between chemical equations and chemical reactions.

LESSON 1
MOLES AND MOLECULES

Chemical Formulas

Chemical formulas are the chemist’s “shorthand.” They are written

representations of a compound’s components but they do not depict the structure of
the molecules
.
Examples of chemical formulas include:
H2O (water)
NaOH (sodium hydroxide or caustic soda)
and CO2 (carbon dioxide).
 In order to determine how much of a chemical need to be added to a solution
or how much will be required to create another compound, it is necessary to calculate
the molecular weight of compounds.

Molecular Weight

The molecular weight (or formula weight) of a substance is the sum of the
atomic weights of all the atoms in the molecule.
Some compounds contain more than one atom of an element. H 2O is an
example. When a compound contains more than one atom of an element, all of the
atoms must be included in order to calculate the formula weight. The Periodic Table
lists the atomic weights of the elements.

PROBLEM EXAMPLE 2-1

What is the molecular weight of NaCl (sodium chloride or table salt) given that

the atomic weight of Na is 22.989 and the atomic weight of Cl is 35.453?

SOLUTION

The molecular weight of NaCl is:

1 Na atom = 22.2989

1 Cl atom = + 35.453

NaCl = 58.442 g/mole

PROBLEM EXAMPLE 2-2

What is the molecular weight of H2O (water), given that hydrogen has an atomic

weight of 1.0080 and oxygen has an atomic weight of 15.9994?

SOLUTION

The molecular weight of H2O is:

2 H atoms = 2.016

1 O atom = + 15.9994

H2O = 18.01
Mole

A mole is a method to discuss how many “molecular weights” of a compound

are present for a particular mass of the compound. A quantity of compound equal in

weight to its molecular weight is a mole. The concept of moles is an important

component necessary for the calculation and determination of concentrations of

chemical solutions. Given the extremely tiny size of molecules and the incredible

number of molecules which are present, the mole is the basic unit used to conveniently

describe how much of a chemical compound is present.

Moles work for any system of weights. For example, the molecular weight of

water (H2O) is 18.0099. To calculate the number of moles, divide the molecular

weight by the total number of grams. This means that 18.0099 grams of water is

equal to one mole of water, or, in other words:

𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑢𝑏𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒
moles =
𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑟 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 (𝑖𝑛 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑚𝑠)

18.0099
moles =
18.0099

moles = 1 mol H2O

As another example, sodium chloride (NaCl), also known as table salt, is made

using one mole each of Na (sodium) and Cl (chlorine). By adding 22.9898 grams of

Na to 35.453 grams of Cl, NaCl is formed. Another option is to add 22.9898 pounds

of Na to 35.453 pounds of Cl. Again, NaCl is formed. In either scenario, the proportions

of the elements are the same, regardless of whether they are measured in grams or in

pounds.

The mass of 6.02 x 1023 (Avogadro’s number) formula units (atoms, molecules,

ions) is the formula weight expressed in grams. The mass of 1 mole of a substance is

sometimes referred to as the molar mass. That is, the molar mass is the mass of any
substance that contains Avogadro’s number of units, where the units can be atoms,

molecules, formula units, individual ions, and so on.

PROBLEM EXAMPLE 2-3

Calculate the number of moles of NaOH in 85.0 g of NaOH

SOLUTION

The formula weight (molecular weight) of NaOH is 40.0; therefore, there are
40.0 g of NaOH in 1 mole. Thus, the number of moles in 85.0 g of NaOH is calculated
as:

1 𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑁𝑎𝑂𝐻
85.0 g of NaOH x = 2.12 mol NaOH
40.0 𝑔 𝑁𝑎𝑂𝐻

PROBLEM EXAMPLE 2-4

Calculate the mass in grams of 0.720 mol of Ca 3(PO4)2

SOLUTION

The formula weight of Ca3(PO4)2 is (3 x 40.1) + (2 x 31.0) + (8 x 16.0) = 310.

Therefore, 1 mol Ca3(PO4)2 = 310 g and the mass of 0.720 mol is calculated as

310 𝑔 Ca3(PO4)2
0.720 mol Ca3(PO4)2 x = 223 g Ca3(PO4)2
1 𝑚𝑜𝑙 Ca3(PO4)2

PROBLEM EXAMPLE 2-5

Calculate the number of molecules of 24.5 g of CO2

SOLUTION

In the calculation, we must first calculate the number of moles, using the

formula weight (44.0 g CO2/mol) and then use the relationship between molecules and

moles to find the number of molecules.

1 𝑚𝑜𝑙 CO2 6.02 𝑥 1023𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑒𝑠

24.5 g CO2 x x = 3.35 x 1023 molecules CO2
44.0 𝑔CO2 1 𝑚𝑜𝑙CO2
 QUIZ #2-1

Calculate:

1. The mass in grams of 1 mole of CaSO4

2. The number of moles of 0.020 kg H2O
3. The number of moles of 8.30 x 1020 molecules H2O
4. The number of molecules I 2.5 liters of water
5. The mass in grams of 12.5 mmol NaCl
6. Calculate the volume, in cubic centimeters, occupied by 8.5 x 1024 molecule
CCl4 (density = 1.6 g/ml)
7. Calculate the molecular (formula) weight of 2.8 kg that contains 1.2 x 1022
molecules
8. Calculate the number of moles of oxygen atoms in 2.52 g Ca(NO 3)2

LESSON 2
CHEMICAL EQUATIONS

Writing Chemical Equations

A chemical equation is a chemist’s shorthand expression for describing a

chemical change. As an example, consider what takes place when iron rusts. The
equation for this change is:

In this expression, the symbols and formulas of the reacting substances, called
the reactants, are written on the left side of the and the products of the reaction are
written on the right side. The arrow is read as “gives”, “yields”, or “forms” and the plus
(+) sign is read as “and”. When the plus (+) sign appears between the formulas for
two reactants, it can be read as “reacts with”. (The + sign does not imply mathematical
addition.)

The equation, above, can be read as iron reacts with oxygen to yield (or form)
iron (III) oxide.

Balancing A Chemical Equation

The equation indicates in a qualitative way what substances are consumed in

the reaction and what new substances are formed. In order to have quantitative
information about the reaction, the equation must be balanced so that it conforms to
the Law of Conservation of Matter. That is, there must be the same number of atoms
of each element on the right-hand side of the equations as there are on the left side.

If the number of atoms of each element in the equation above are counted, it
is observed that there are 1 atom of Fe and 2 atoms of O on the left side and 2 atoms
Fe and 3 atoms of O on the right.

The balancing of the equation is accomplished by introducing the proper

number or coefficient before each formula. To balance the number of O atoms, write
a 3 in front of the O2 and a 2 in front of the Fe2O3.

The equation above, now has 6 atoms of O on each side, but the Fe atoms are
not balanced. Since there is 1 atom of Fe on the left and 4 atoms of Fe on the right,
the Fe atoms can be balanced by writing a 4 in front of the Fe.

This equation is now balanced. It contains 4 atoms of Fe and 6 atoms of O on

each side of the equation. The equation is interpreted to mean that 4 atoms of Fe will
react with 3 molecules of O2 to form 2 molecules of Fe2O3.

It is important to note that the balancing of an equation is accomplished by

placing numbers in front of the proper atoms or molecules and not as subscripts. In
an equation, all chemical species appear as correct formula units. The addition (or
change) of a subscript change the meaning of the formula unit and of the equation.
Coefficients in front of a formula unit multiply that entire formula unit.

Another example of balancing an equation is:

Counting the atoms of each element in the equation it is found that there are
1 atom Al, 7 atoms O, 5 atoms H, and 1 atom S on the left side and 2 atoms Al, 13
atoms O, 2 atoms H, and 3 atoms S on the right side.
 The counting can be simplified by observing that the S and O in the SO 4
polyatomic ion acts as a single unbreakable unit in this equation. Recounting, using
the SO4 as a single unit, it is found that there are 1 atom Al, 3 atoms O, 5 atoms H,
and 1 SO4 polyatomic ion the left side and 2 atoms Al, 1 O atom, 2 H atoms, and 3
SO4 polyatomic ions on the right side.

Starting with A, the atoms of Al can be balanced by writing a 2 in front of the Al(OH)3

Looking at the SO4 ions, these are balance by writing a 3 in front of the H2SO4

Now, only the O atoms and H atoms remain unbalance. There are 6 atoms of
O and 12 atoms of H on the left-hand side of the equation and only 1 atom O and 2
atoms H on the right side. These can be balanced by writing a 6 in front of the H2O

The equation is now balance and it is interpreted to mean that 2 molecules of

Al(OH)2 react with 3 molecules of H2SO4 to form 1 molecule of Al2(SO4)3 and 6
molecules H2O.
 QUIZ #2-2

Copy the following chemical equations on the answer sheet and below each
item, write the balanced equation.
THE PERIODIC TABLE
References:

Lawrence S. Brown and Thomas A. Holme, Chemistry for Engineering Students,

2nd ed. Cengage Learning Asia Pte Ltd., 2012

Stanley E. Manahan, The Geosphere and Geochemistry in ‘Environmental

Chemistry’, 8th Edn., CRC Press, 2005

Manahan, Stanley E. “Environmental Science, Technology, and Chemistry”

Environmental Chemistry, 2000

National Research Council, Setting Priorities for Drinking Water, National Academy
Press, Washington, D.C., 1999.

Carl H. Snyder; Chemicals, Pollution, and the Environment, the meaning of pollution,
in The Extraordinary Chemistry of Ordinary Things, third edition, John Wiley &
Sons, Inc, 1998

Howard, Alan G., Aquatic Environmental Chemistry, Oxford University Press,

Oxford, UK, 1998.

Murray N. McBride; Environmental Chemistry of Soils, Oxford university press Inc,

1994

J. Greyson, Carbon, Nitrogen and Sulfur Pollutants and Their Determination in

Air and Water. New York: Marcel Dekker, 1990

Fred H. Redmore, Fundamentals of Chemistry, Apson Enterprises, 1980

Environmental Chemistry, http://www.chem1.com/chemed/digtexts.shtml

Environmental Issues, http://www.elmhurst.edu/~chm/vchembook/index.html
Water Pollution and Society, http://www.umich.edu/~gs265/society/waterpollution.htm
Environmental Issues, http://www.elmhurst.edu/~chm/vchembook/index.html
Water Structure and Behavior, http://textbookrevolution.org/chemistry/water-structure-
and-behavior