Science

Grade 9 • Unit 10: Mole Concept

LESSON 10.2
Molar Mass of a Compound
Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Learning Competency 2

Learning Objectives 2

Warm-Up 2

Learn about It 3
The Atomic Unit 3
Calculating Weighted Average Atomic Mass 4

Worked Examples 6
Calculating Molar Mass 10

Worked Examples 11

Key Points 15

Check Your Understanding 16

Bibliography 19

Answer to Let’s Practice 20

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Grade 9 • Unit 10: Mole Concept

Lesson 10.2
Molar Mass of a Compound

A scientist performing a laboratory experiment

Introduction
Every component of an object has an individual mass which contributes to the totality of the
mass of the object. Your bag is heavy because it is the sum of the masses of your books,
notebooks, papers, pencil case, pens, and erasers. This also applies at a microscopic level. In
the atomic scale, the total mass of an atom is the sum of the masses of its constituting
particles, which are the electrons, neutrons, and protons. Have you ever wondered how
we determine the mass of an element and compute the mass of a compound?

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Grade 9 • Unit 10: Mole Concept

Learning Competency
At the end of this lesson, the given enabling competency should be met by the
students.
● Calculate the molar mass of a given substance using atomic masses.

Learning Objectives
In this lesson, you should be able to do the following:
● Determine the atomic mass of an element from the relative abundances
and masses of its isotopes.
● Calculate the molar mass of a given compound.

Warm-Up

Whack-A-Mole, Count-A-Mole!
For the following substances, count the number of particles present in each and express it
using the correct unit. The first item is given as an example.

Table 10.2.1. Counting moles

Substance Number of Particles

1 mol of H 6.022 x 1023 H atoms

1 mol of oxygen gas (O2)

1 mol of ammonium ion (NH4+)

1 mol of diamond

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1 mol sodium carbonate (Na2CO3)

1 mol gold (Au)

Take a look at the values you listed in the second column. Are they the same? These
values correspond to the number of particles present in the substance. Do you think
these values have the same weights? Hypothesize and check your answer as you go
through the discussion.

Guide Questions:
1. Take a look at the values you listed in the second column. Are they the same?
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Do you think these values have the same weights?
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________

Learn about It

The Atomic Unit

Dozen, pair, gross, and ream can only provide the number of items. Mole may have a
similarity with the aforementioned counting unit since one mole of a substance is readily
associated with 6.022 x 1023. However, a mole is more than just a counting unit. One mole of
a substance contains a fixed number of particles and has a fixed mass.

The atomic mass unit (amu) is the mass that is equal to the 1/12 of the carbon-12 isotope.
One atomic mass unit is the same as one Dalton (Da). The masses recorded in the periodic
table are expressed in units of amu. For example, hydrogen has an atomic mass of 1.00794

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amu, while oxygen has 15.999 amu. These values have been experimentally determined
using mass spectrometry. Mass spectrometry is a method used to determine the
charge-to-mass ratio of an ionized sample of an element. The data analysis could provide
information on the relative mass and relative abundance of the particle.

The masses of other atoms were determined by setting carbon-12 as the standard. Since
carbon-12 contains 6 neutrons and 6 protons, the atomic mass should be 12 amu. Recall
that the mass of an electron is negligible compared to the masses of a proton or a neutron.
By fixing this value in a mass spectrometer, other atoms can be analyzed, and their relative
mass compared to carbon-12 can be determined. For example, helium was determined to
be 33.44 % as massive as the carbon-12 atom. The mass of a helium atom, using the
previous analogy, can be determined as

The same is applicable for hydrogen, oxygen, and all the elements, and their atomic masses
are recorded in the periodic table. But why is the atomic mass for carbon-12 not exactly 12
amu? This is because atomic mass, sometimes referred to as average atomic mass, is the
weighted average of the masses of naturally occurring isotopes in which it takes into
account the atomic mass and relative abundance of each isotope. Carbon has two isotopes,
carbon-12 and carbon-13, which naturally exist in different amounts. From these data, the
average mass of carbon was calculated to be 12.01 amu. The process of calculating atomic
masses will be discussed in the next section.

Calculating Weighted Average Atomic Mass

Essential Question
How do we calculate the atomic mass of an element from the relative
abundances and masses of its isotopes?

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The relative abundances (R.A.) and the atomic masses of each isotope (AMisotope) must be
considered in calculating the weighted average atomic mass of an element. This is
summarized in the equation

,
where AMi is the atomic mass of a certain isotope and RAi is its relative abundance (in
decimal form).

The weighted average atomic mass, referred to as AMave in the equation, is the mass that
appears at the periodic table.

Fig. 1. Elements together with their symbol and atomic mass

The mass (in grams) of one mole of an element has an equal numerical value as that of the
element’s atomic mass (in amu). For example,
● 1 mole H atom has a mass of 1.008 g and 1 H atom has an atomic mass of 1.008
amu,
● 1 mole Na atom has a mass of 22.99 g and 1 Na atom has an atomic mass of 22.00
amu, and
● 1 mole Cl atom has a mass of 35.45 g and 1 Cl atom has an atomic mass of 35.45
amu.

Tips
In solving for average atomic weights, take note that
● the relative abundances should be expressed in decimal forms, and
● the sum of all relative abundances in decimal forms should be
equal to it.

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Worked Examples

Example 1
From the following data, determine the atomic mass of nitrogen.

Atomic mass Relative abundance

Isotope
(amu) (%)
nitrogen-14 14.00 99.63
nitrogen-15 15.00 0.37

Solution
Step 1: Write the working equation based on the general equation for the atomic
mass of an element.
Since there are only two isotopes, only two components need to be represented in
the equation. The general equation can be rewritten as follows.

Step 2: Substitute the given value to the working equation.

Step 3: Solve for the answer.

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This is consistent with the atomic mass of nitrogen reported in the periodic table, which is
also close to 14.0037 amu.

Let’s Practice
From the following data, determine the atomic mass of bromine.
Atomic mass Relative abundance
Isotope
(amu) (%)

bromine-79 78.9183371 50.69

bromine-81 80.9162906 49.31

Example 2
Chlorine has two naturally existing isotopes, chlorine-35 and chlorine-37. Chlorine-35, with
an atomic mass of 34.9689 amu, has a relative abundance of 75.78%. If the atomic mass of
chlorine-37 is 36.9659, what is the average atomic mass of chlorine?

Step 1: Write the working equation based on the general equation for the atomic
mass of an element.
Since there are only two isotopes, only two components need to be represented in
the equation. The general equation can be rewritten as follows.

Step 2: Substitute the given value to the working equation.

Although the relative abundance of chlorine-37 is not given, it can be easily
deduced since there are only two isotopes. The sum of their relative abundances,
in percentage, should be 100. Hence, the value of the relative abundance of
chlorine-37 is 100 ー 75.78 = 24.22%.
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Now, substituting these values give the following equation.

Step 3: Solve for the answer.

This is consistent with the atomic mass of chlorine reported in the periodic table, which is
also close to 35.4525 amu.

Let’s Practice
Hydrogen has two naturally occurring isotopes, hydrogen-1, with an atomic mass of
1.007825 amu, and hydrogen-2, with an atomic mass of 2.014102 amu. Hydrogen-1 is the
more common isotope, occupying nearly all hydrogen roles in different compounds with a
relative abundance of 99.98%. What is the average atomic mass of hydrogen?

Example 3
Carbon has two naturally existing isotopes, carbon-12, with an atomic mass of 12.0000 amu,
and carbon-13, 13.0034 amu. If the average atomic mass of carbon is recorded to be
12.0107, what are the relative percent abundances of the two isotopes?

Step 1: Represent the relative abundances in terms of an unknown variable.

We are trying to solve the relative abundances here, so we represent them with
unknown variables. For instance,

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Then, we know that the relative abundance of carbon-13, in percentage is just

Step 2: Write the working equation based on the general equation for the atomic
mass of an element.
Since there are only two isotopes, only two components need to be represented in
the equation. The general equation can be rewritten to

Step 3: Substitute the given value to the working equation.

From here, we can use the expressions we have represented from
Step 1. Substituting the values gives the following equation.

Step 4: Solve for the answer.

We need to isolate to one side and solve for its value.

The relative abundance can be converted to percentage by multiplying it by 100. Hence, the
relative abundance of carbon-12 is 98.93%. Consequently, the relative abundance of
carbon-13 is equal to 100 ー 98.93 = 1.07%.

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Let’s Practice
Copper has two naturally existing isotopes, copper-63, with an atomic mass of 62.929599
amu, and copper-65, 64.927792 amu. If the average atomic mass of copper is recorded to
be 63.546 amu, what are the relative percent abundances of the two isotopes?

Calculating Molar Mass

Essential Question
How do we calculate the molar mass of a given compound?

In line with these calculations of atomic masses, we can define another quantity, known as
the molar mass (M), as the mass per one mole of a given elementary entity (atoms,
molecules, ions, formula units). It has a unit of g/mol or kg/mol. The molar mass has an
equal numerical value with the atomic mass.

The molar mass of an element is equal to its atomic mass. The molar mass of a compound is
the sum of the molar mass of all its constituent elements. To calculate the molar mass, we
can use the equation

where Mi is the molar mass of each element, and ni is the number of atoms of the ith
element.

The molar mass of a covalent compound is its molecular mass (MM), while the molar mass
of an ionic compound is its formula mass (FM).

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Worked Examples
Example 4
What is the molar mass of an oxygen molecule?

Step 1: Locate the constituting elements in the periodic table and find their atomic
masses.
An oxygen molecule, O2, is made up solely of oxygen atoms. From the periodic
table, the atomic mass of oxygen is 15.999 g/mol.

Step 2: Write the working equation based on the general equation for the molar mass
of a compound.
Since there is only one constituting element, then the working equation should
contain only one component, as shown below.

where MO is the molar mass of an oxygen atom, and nO is the number of oxygen
atoms present in the compound.

Step 3: Substitute the given value to the working equation and solve for the answer.

Therefore, the molecular mass of an oxygen molecule is 31.998 g/mol.

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Let’s Practice
What is the molar mass of a sulfur crown (S8) molecule?

Example 5
Xylene is one of the components of pen markers and paint thinner. Its chemical name is
dimethyl benzene (C8H10). What is the molar mass of xylene?

Step 1: Locate the constituting elements in the periodic table and find their atomic
masses.
Xylene, C8H10, is made up of C and H. From the periodic table, their atomic masses
are 12.011 g/mol and 1.008 g/mol, respectively.

Step 2: Write the working equation based on the general equation for the molar mass
of a compound.
Since there are two constituting elements, then the working equation should
contain two components, as shown below.

where MC is the molar mass of a carbon atom, nC is the number of carbon atoms
present in the compound, MH is the molar mass of a hydrogen atom and nH is the
number of hydrogen atoms present in the compound.

Step 3: Substitute the given value to the working equation and solve for the answer.

Therefore, the molecular mass of a xylene molecule is 106.168 g/mol.

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Grade 9 • Unit 10: Mole Concept

Let’s Practice
Hydrogen peroxide is also known as agua oxigenada. It is commonly used to disinfect
wounds. It has a general formula of H2O2. What is its molar mass?

Example 6
Liquid soda is the commercial name of sodium hydroxide (NaOH). It is used to remove the
clogs in drainages. What is the molar mass of sodium hydroxide?

Step 1: Locate the constituting elements in the periodic table and find their atomic
masses.
Sodium hydroxide, NaOH, is made up of Na, O, and H. From the periodic table,
their atomic masses are 22.990 g/mol, 15.999 g/mol, and 1.008 g/mol,
respectively.

Step 2: Write the working equation based on the general equation for the molar mass
of a compound.
Since there are three constituting elements, the working equation should contain
three components, as shown below.

where MNa is the molar mass of a sodium atom, nNa is the number of sodium
atoms present in the compound, Mo is the molar mass of an oxygen atom, no is
the number of oxygen atoms present in the compound, MH is the molar mass of a
hydrogen atom and nH is the number of hydrogen atoms present in the compound.

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Step 3: Substitute the given value to the working equation and solve for the answer.

Therefore, the formula mass of sodium hydroxide is 39.997 g/mol.

Let’s Practice
Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3), also known as baking soda, is oftentimes used to reduce
stomach acid. What is the formula mass of sodium bicarbonate?

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Key Points

● Atomic mass unit (amu) is defined as the mass equivalent to 1/12 of the carbon-12
isotope.
● Atomic mass, sometimes referred to as average atomic mass or atomic weight, is
the average of the masses of naturally occurring isotopes and takes into account the
relative abundance of each. The atomic mass of a given element is expressed in
atomic mass unit.
● The atomic mass can be calculated using the equation

,
where AMi is the atomic mass of a certain isotope and RAi is its relative abundance.
● The mass (in grams) of one mole of an element has an equal numerical value as that
of atomic mass (in amu) of the element.
● Molar mass (M) is the mass per one mole of a given elementary entity, It has a unit
of g/mol or kg/mol.
● The molar mass can be calculated using the equation

,
where Mi is the molar mass of each element, and ni is the number of atoms of the ith
element.
● The molar mass has an equal numerical value with the atomic mass if the substance
is an element.
● Molecular mass is used to refer to the molar mass of covalent compounds, while
the formula mass is used to refer to the molar mass of an ionic compound.

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Check Your Understanding

A. Calculate the average atomic mass of the following elements, given their exact atomic
mass and relative isotopic abundances.
1. Europium

Atomic mass
Isotope Relative abundance (%)
(amu)
europium-151 150.9199 47.80
europium-153 152.9212 52.20

Solution and answer:

2. Magnesium

Atomic mass
Isotope Relative abundance (%)
(amu)
magnesium-24 23.9850 78.99
magnesium-25 24.9858 10.00
magnesium-26 25.9826 11.01

Solution and answer:

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3. Chromium

Atomic mass
Isotope Relative abundance (%)
(amu)
chromium-50 49.9461 4.345
chromium-52 51.9405 83.789
chromium-53 52.9407 9.501
chromium-54 53.9389 2.365

Solution and answer:

4. Naturally abundant rhenium-185 has an atomic mass of 185.00 amu and a relative
abundance of 37.1% If there are only two isotopes, and the recorded atomic mass of
rhenium is 186.2 amu, what is the identity of the other isotope?
Solution and answer:

5. Naturally occurring copper exists as either 63

Cu (62.929599 amu) or 65
Cu
(64.927792 amu). If the recorded atomic mass of Cu is 63.546 amu, what are the
relative abundances of the two isotopes of Cu?
Solution and answer:

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B. Read the following problems. Calculate the molar mass of each specified compound.
1. Calcium chloride has various applications. It is used in highway maintenance in which
it is used in dust control and melting ice. Calculate the molar mass of calcium
chloride.
Solution and answer:

2. One of the components of biofuel is ethanol (C2H5O). What is the molar mass of
ethanol?
Solution and answer:

3. Marble readily reacts with acid. The parent rock of marble is limestone, mainly
composed of calcium carbonate (CaCO3). Compute the molar mass of calcium
carbonate.
Solution and answer:

4. Pentanol is an alcohol of pentane. It has a chemical formula of C5H11OH. What is its

molar mass?
Solution and answer:

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5. Phosphoric acid is industrially prepared from phosphate rocks, primarily calcium

phosphate, Ca3(PO4)2. What is the molar mass of a phosphate rock?
Solution and answer:

Bibliography
Brown, Theodore L. Chemistry: The Central Science. 11th ed. Singapore: Pearson Education
(Asia) Pte Ltd., 2004.

Chang, Raymond. Chemistry. 10th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010.

Silberberg, Martin S. Chemistry: The Molecular Nature of Matter and Change. 5th ed. New York:
McGraw-Hill, 2009.

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Answer to Let’s Practice

1. From the following data, determine the atomic mass of bromine.

Atomic mass Relative abundance

Isotope
(amu) (%)

bromine-79 78.9183371 50.69

bromine-81 80.9162906 49.31

Answer: 79.9 amu

2. Hydrogen has two naturally occurring isotopes, hydrogen-1, with an atomic mass of
1.007825 amu, and hydrogen-2, with an atomic mass of 2.014102 amu. Hydrogen-1 is
the more common isotope, occupying nearly all hydrogen roles in different
compounds with a relative abundance of 99.98%. What is the average atomic mass of
hydrogen?
Answer: 1.008 amu
3. Copper has two naturally existing isotopes, copper-63, with an atomic mass of
62.929599 amu, and copper-65, 64.927792 amu. If the average atomic mass of
copper is recorded to be 63.546 amu, what are the relative percent abundances of
the two isotopes?
Answer: The relative abundance of copper-63 is 69.15%; the relative abundance of
copper-65 is equal to 30.85%.
4. What is the molar mass of a sulfur crown (S8) molecule?
Answer: 256.52 g/mol.
5. Hydrogen peroxide is also known as agua oxigenada. It is commonly used to disinfect
wounds. It has a general formula of H2O2. What is its molar mass?
Answer: The molecular mass of hydrogen peroxide is 34.02 g/mol.
6. Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3), also known as baking soda, is often used to reduce
stomach acid. What is the formula mass of sodium bicarbonate?
Answer: 84.01 g/mol

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