Sec 3.

4:
AVOGADRO’S
NUMBER AND THE
MOLE
• In chemistry the counting unit for numbers of atoms, ions, or molecules in a
laboratory-size sample is the mole, abbreviated mol.*
• One mole is the amount of matter that contains as many objects as the number of
atoms in exactly 12 g of isotopically pure 12.𝐶.
• From experiments, scientists have determined this number to be 6.0221421 × 1023 ,
which we will usually round to 6.02 × 1023 , Scientists call this value Avogadro’s
number, 𝑵𝑨 .
• It is often cited with units of reciprocal moles, 6.02 × 1023 𝑚𝑜𝑙−1 . The unit (read as
either “inverse mole” or “per mole”) reminds us that there are 6.02 × 1023 objects per
one mole.
• A mole of atoms, a mole of molecules, or a mole of anything else all contain
Avogadro’s number of objects:
• Molar Mass:
• The atomic weight of an element in atomic mass units is numerically equal to the mass in grams of
1 mol of that element.
• The mass in grams of one mole of a substance (that is, the mass in grams per mole) is
called the molar mass of the substance.
• The molar mass in grams per mole of any substance is numerically equal to its formula weight in
atomic mass units.
• For NaCl, for example, the formula weight is 58.5 amu and the molar mass is 58.5
g/mol.
* Interconverting Masses and Moles:
• Conversions of mass to moles and of moles to mass are frequently encountered in
calculations using the mole concept.
• No. of moles = Mass / Molar mass
• Mass = No. of moles * Molar mass
* Interconverting Masses and Numbers of Particles:
• The mole concept provides the bridge between mass and number of particles.
• To illustrate how this bridge works, let’s calculate the number of copper atoms in an
old copper penny. Such a penny has a mass of about 3 g, and we assume it is 100%
copper:

• We have rounded our answer to one significant figure because we used only one
significant Figure for the mass of the penny.
• The molar mass and Avogadro’s number are used as conversion factors to convert
grams to moles and then moles to atoms.
• Notice also that our answer is a very large number.
• Any time you calculate the number of atoms, molecules, or ions in an ordinary sample
of matter, you can expect the answer to be very large.
• In contrast, the number of moles in a sample will usually be small, often less than 1.
• The general procedure for interconverting mass and number of formula units (atoms,
molecules, ions, or whatever else is represented by the chemical formula) is
summarized in FIGURE 3.12.