The Mole Concept

Consider the following approximate atomic masses of some elements. These

numbers represent the relative mass of each element. The units are atomic mass units
(abbreviated amu, and given the symbol amu), a very small unit of mass.
H
He
C
O
Cu
Pb
U

1.0 amu
4.0 amu
12.0 amu
16.0 amu
63.5 amu
207 amu
238 amu

This scale tells us relative masses, with carbon-12 being defined as exactly 12 amu.
A helium atom has a mass 4 times that of hydrogen. A carbon atom has a mass 3 times that
of helium (ratio of 12/4). A uranium atom is almost 20 times heavier than a carbon atom
(ratio of 238/12).
Now suppose we have a number of atoms (called an amount) that has a mass equal to
the atomic masses in grams.
Lets call this amount N atoms.
N atoms of Hydrogen weigh 1.0 gram.

What would be the mass of N atoms of helium?

Since each helium atom weighs 4 times that of each hydrogen atom, the answer is 4.0
grams.

What would be the mass of N atoms of oxygen?

Since each oxygen atom weighs 16 times that of each hydrogen atom, the answer is
16.0 grams.
This reasoning should be clear: The same N atoms (the same amount) of each
element would have a mass equal to its atomic mass in grams.

Mass
1.0 g
4.0 g
12.0 g
16.0 g
63.5 g
207 g
238 g

N atoms of hydrogen
N atoms of helium
N atoms of carbon
N atoms of oxygen
N atoms of copper
N atoms of lead
N atoms of uranium

This amount, the number of atoms that has a mass equal to the atomic mass in grams,
is called a mole.
A mole of an element always has the same amount of atoms, so far designated by N.
But a mole does not have to refer only to atoms. We can have compounds in which
a molecule (a group of atoms) is the smallest unit.
On the atomic mass scale:

1 molecule H2O
1 molecule CO2
1 molecule C6H12O6

Mass
18.0 amu
44.0 amu
180 amu

Here we find the mass of each molecule by just adding up the atomic masses in the
formula.

By the same reasoning illustrated above:

N atoms of carbon
N molecules of H2O
N molecules of CO2
N molecules C6H12O6

Mass
12.0 g
18.0 g
44.0 g
180 g

N represents the number of elementary units in a mole. For elements, the elementary
unit is an atom; for compounds, the elementary unit is a molecule.

Definition of A Mole
The mole is the SI unit of amount.
An atom of carbon-12 has a mass of exactly 12 amu.
A mole of carbon-12 is the amount of carbon-12 having a mass of exactly 12 grams.
A mole of any element contains the same number of atoms as is contained in exactly
12 grams of carbon-12.
A mole of any substance contains the same number of elementary entities as there
are atoms in exactly 12 grams of carbon-12.
Elementary entities may be atoms, molecules, ions, electrons, or any other
appropriate unit.

Working definition: A mole of any substance contains the number of elementary

units (atoms or molecules) which has a mass equal to its atomic or molecular mass in grams.
So far, we have designated that amount by the symbol N.

The value of N has been determined experimentally. It is known as Avogadros

number.
23

N = 6.022 x 10 particles (four significant figures)

This is a very large number. To get some idea of its magnitude, consider this
example.

Suppose a computer with a special sensor set out to count the number of atoms in a
12.0 g sample of carbon, counting at 1 billion atoms per second. How long would it take?
23

Since 12.0 g is a mole of carbon, there should be 6.022 x 10 atoms in this sample
(one you could hold in the palm of your hand).
23

6.0 x 10 atoms x

1 sec
109 atoms

1 year
3.16 x 107 sec

or 19 million years.

= 1.9 x 10 years

Second example
If we had a mole of dollars and divided it equally among all the people in the world
, how much would each person get?
Rounded to 1 significant figure, there are 7 billion people in the world.
6 x 1023 dollars
7 x 109 people

13 dollars
= 9 x 10 person

That is 90 trillion dollars each!

Obviously, we dont have a mole of dollars to distribute, but a mole of carbon, 12.0 g,
could be held easily in your hand. What does this say about the size of atoms?

Mole Relationships
For solving problems using dimensional analysis:
Avogadros number:
23

6.022 x 10

atom
mol

23

6.022 x 10

Atomic or molecular mass:

molecule
mol
gram
mol

Amount <________> Mole <________> Mass

gram
23 entities
6.022 x 10
Molar mass mole
mol

What is the mass of 3.00 moles of aluminum?

g
3.00 mol x 27.0 mol = 81.0 g

How many atoms are in 3.00 moles of aluminum?

23

3.00 mol x 6.022 x 10

atom
24
=
1.81
x
10
atoms
mol

20

What is the mass of 7.50 x 10 atoms of Pb?

20

7.50 x 10 atoms x

1 mol
6.02 x 1023 molecule

g
x 207mol = 0.258 g Pb

A 5.00 g mass of sodium contains how many sodium atoms?

5.00 g x

23 atoms
23
1mol
x 6.02 x 10
= 1.31 x 10 atoms Na
mol
23.0g

What is meant by and what is the difference between:

Classical Mechanics
Quantum Mechanics

Classical Mechanics, sometimes called Newtonian Mechanics, is what is traditionally

studied in physics. Its laws and equations describe inclined planes, gravitational
acceleration, projectile motion, astronomical motions, harmonic oscillators, and a variety of
other motions and interactions.
Quantum Mechanics studies motion and interaction on the atomic level. In
chemistry, this particularly means studying electrons in atoms: their locations and energies.

Why is quantum mechanics necessary?

Certain observations and experiments were not consistent with and could not be
explained by classical mechanics.
The experiments which led to the development of quantum mechanics are all related
to the interaction of light and matter.
To understand these interactions, we must have some background on the nature of
waves.
A wave is a disturbance of a medium. Dropping a pebble in water, pushing a string
up and down--these disturbances propagate through the medium as a wave. We can
characterize the wave by:
= wavelength = distance between each wave unit
= frequency = the number of waves (cycles) which pass a given point each second
Units of : meter, mm, nm (length of each wave)
Units of :

cycles waves
sec
sec

sec-1 Hz

(all per sec) The cycles or waves are understood when we say sec-1

A fundamental relationship for all waves is:

x
= velocity of wave
meter
wave
meter
wave x sec = sec
Light can be considered to be a wave phenomenon in which there does not have to be
a medium. Light can travel through the vacuum of space. Light can be thought of as
vibrating electric and magnetic fields, with the planes of these fields both being
perpendicular to the velocity of the light. This is called electromagnetic radiation.
When we are describing electromagnetic radiation, the speed of the radiation in a
vacuum is always a constant, designated by the letter c (the speed of light). To three
significant figures:
meter
c = 3.00 x 108 sec
For electromagnetic radiation:
c
Electromagnetic radiation encompasses radio waves, infrared, visible light,
ultraviolet, x-rays and gamma-rays. Visible light is a relatively small portion of this
spectrum, with wavelengths ranging from 400 nm to 700 nm. Only during this range can we
use the radiation to see with.

Radio | Infrared |Vis| UV

| X-ray
---------> increasing frequency
<---------- increasing wavelength
Within the visible range, we perceive different wavelengths as different colors, ranging from
red (700 nm) to violet (400 nm), and covering the colors of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow,
green, blue, violet.
|red orange yellow green blue violet |
nm
400 nm
14 -1
4.3 x 10 s
7.5 x 1014 s-1
---------> increasing frequency
<---------- increasing wavelength

Calculate the frequency of light for a photon of violet light having wavelength 400 nm.
= c

x
x

= 7.5 x 1014 sec-1

How does this frequency compare with radio waves?

A typical FM radio station is about 100 MHz or 108 sec-1. Visible light has frequency in
the range of 1014 sec-1 or about a million times higher than radio waves.
What is the wavelength of the radio station with frequency 100 MHz?
100 MHz is the same as 100 x 106 or 108 Hz.
c
3.00 x 108
= =
= 3 meters

108
The wavelength of radio waves (3 meters) is much longer than that of visible light
(400-700 nm).

The frequency of visible light is much higher than the frequency of radio waves.
The wavelength of visible light is much lower than the wavelength of radio waves.

What is the same for both radio waves and visible light?

They are both electromagnetic radiation with the same speed in a vacuum:
meter
c = 3.00 x 108
for all electromagnetic radiation.
sec