4541 CHEMISTRY

Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3 : CHEMICAL FORMULAE AND EQUATIONS

A1 :

Relative Atomic Mass, Ar

1.
2.
3.

The mass of an atom is very small. We cannot weigh a single atom.

We can determine the mass of one atom relative to a standard atom.
The atomic mass of an atom found comparing it with a standard atom is called Relative Atomic
Mass, RAM, Ar.
For the first, chemist using hydrogen atom as the standard atom for comparison because
hydrogen is the lightest atom.

4.

Hydrogen as
standard atom

Helium atom

A Helium atom is 4 times heavier compare to a hydrogen atom.

Relative atomic mass of Helium is 4.
5.

Oxygen was then used as a standard to compare the masses of atoms. However, this also posed
some problem when three isotopes of oxygen was discovered.
1961 : the International Unions of Chemists and Physicists agreed on a single the carbon -12
(C-12) atom used as a standard to compare the masses of atom. C-12 is choosen because :
it is solid at room conditions
can be easily handed.

6.

The relative atomic mass of an element is the average mass of one atom of the element when
1
compared with
of the mass of an atom of carbon 12.
12

Relative atomic mass of an element =

the average mass of one atom of an element

1
the mass of one atom of carbon - 12
12

of one atom carbon-12

How many helium
atoms are here?
Example :
Relative atomic mass of sodium is 23. [*Relative atomic mass does not have any unit]
1
This means that the average mass of a sodium atom is 23 times larger than
of the
12
mass of a carbon-12 atom.
23
Sodium
atom
Chapter 3

Chemical Formulae and Equations

4541 CHEMISTRY

Chapter 3

Activity 1:1. How many times is a copper atom heavier than two helium atoms?
[Relative atomic mass: He = 4; Cu = 64 ]
Solution :
Mass of a copper atom
Mass of two helium atoms

1 Ar of copper

2 Ar of helium

64
2x4

a copper atom is 8 times heavier than two helium atoms

2. How many times is one atom of silicon heavier than one atom of lithium?
[Relative atomic mass: Li = 7; Si = 28 ]
Mass of a silicon atom
Mass of a lithium atom

3. How many times is one atom of nitrogen heavier than one atom of lithium.
[Relative atomic mass: Li = 7; N = 14 ]

4. How many magnesium atoms have the same mass as two silver atoms?
[Relative atomic mass: Mg = 24; Ag = 108]
Solution :

Chapter 3

Chemical Formulae and Equations

4541 CHEMISTRY

Chapter 3

5. Calculate the number of atoms of lithium that have the same mass as two atoms of nitrogen.
[Relative atomic mass: Li = 7 ; N = 14 ]

6. The mass of one Y atom is 4 times larger than the mass of one nitrogen atom.
Calculate the relative atomic mass of Y.
[Relative atomic mass: N = 14 ]

7. The mass of an atom of element Y is ten times greater than the mass of an atom of element X.
What is the relative atomic mass of Y?
[Relative atomic mass: X = 9 ]

Chapter 3

Chemical Formulae and Equations

4541 CHEMISTRY

A2 :

Chapter 3

Relative Molecular Mass, Mr

The relative molecular mass of a molecule is the average mass of the molecule when compared
1
with
of the mass of an atom of carbon-12.
12
the average mass of the molecule
1
the mass of one atom of carbon-12
12

Relative Molecular Mass of a molecule =

Example :
Relative molecular mass of water is 18.
This means that the average mass of one molecule of water is 18 times larger than

1
12

of the mass of carbon-12 atom.

Water molecule

18

1
12
Carbon-12 atom

Relative molecular mass of carbon dioxide is 44.

This means that the average mass of one molecule of carbon dioxide is 44 times larger
1
than
of the mass of carbon-12 atom.
12

The relative molecular mass of a substance can be calculated by adding up the relative atomic
masses of all the atoms that are present in one molecule of the substance.

Example :
1. Calculate the relative molecular mass of water, H 2O
[Relative atomic mass: H = 1; O = 16]
Mr of H2O

= 2(Ar of H) + 1(Ar of O)
= 2(1) + 2(16)
= 18

2. Calculate the relative molecular mass of carbon dioxide, CO 2

[Relative atomic mass: C = 12 ; O = 16 ]
Mr of CO2

= 1(Ar of C) + 2 (Ar of O)
= 1(12) + 2(16)
= 44

3. Calculate the relative molecular mass of ammonia, NH 3

[Relative atomic mass: H = 1; N = 14]
Mr of NH3

Chapter 3

= 1(Ar of N) + 3 (Ar of H)
= 1(14) + 3(1)
= 17

Chemical Formulae and Equations

4541 CHEMISTRY

Chapter 3

Activity 2 :Calculate the relative molecular mass, Mr for the following substances :
[ Relative atomic mass : H = 1 ; C = 12 ; N = 14 ; O = 16 ; Cl = 35.5 ]
Substance

Molecular formula

Relative molecular mass, Mr

(a)

Oxygen gas

O2

2(16) = 32

(b)

Butane gas

C4H10

4(12) + 10(1) = 58

(c)

Napthalene

C10H8

10(12) + 8(1) = 128

(d)

Nitrogen dioxide gas

NO2

1(14) + 2(16) = 46

(e)

Trichloromethane

CHCl3

1(12) + 1(1) + 3(35.5) = 119.5

(f)

Propanol

C3H7OH

3(12) + 8(1) + 1(16) = 60

(g)

Glucose

C6H12O6

6(12) + 12(1) + 6(16) = 180

(h)

Ethanoic acid

CH3COOH

2(12) + 4(1) + 2(16) = 60

Notes :

Relative molecular mass can only be used for substances that are made up of molecules.
(Covalent compound).

For ionic compound, we use relative formula mass, Fr

Activity 3 :Calculate the relative formula mass, Fr of the following ionic compounds :
[Relative atomic mass: H = 1 ; C = 12 ; N = 14 ; O = 16 ; Al = 27 ; Mg = 24 ; P = 31 ; S = 32 ; K = 37 ; Fe
= 56 ; Cu = 64 ; I = 127 ]
Name of ionic
compound

Formula

Relative formula mass, Fr

(a)

Potassium iodide

KI

37 + 127 = 164

(b)

Aluminium oxide

Al2O3

102

(c)

Copper(II) sulphate

CuSO4

160

(d)

Iron(III) nitrate

Fe(NO3)3

56 + 3[14 + 3(16)] = 242

56 + 3(14) + 9(16) = 242

Ammonium
carbonate
Magnesium
phosphate
Magnesium
sulphate
hepthahydrated

(NH4)2CO3

96

Mg3(PO4)2

262

MgSO4.7H2O

24 + 32 + 4(16) + 7 [2(1) +16] = 246

Cu(NO3)2.5H2O

278

(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)

Chapter 3

Copper(II) nitrate
penthahydrated

Chemical Formulae and Equations

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CONCEPT OF MOLE

Chapter 3

[ Refer to Clinic Module 3 and 4 ]

The word pair and dozen represent a fixed number of objects.

A pair of shoe = 2 shoes

B1

One dozen of egg = 12 eggs

The Mole and the Number of Particles

Refer to CLINIC MODULE 3

In chemistry, we use the unit mole to measure the amount of substances.

The symbol of mole is mol.
One mol of substance

= the number of particles in 12 g of carbon-12

= 6 .02 1023 particles

The value of 6.02 x 1023

is called as the Avogadro Constant // Avogadros Number.

The number of particles in one mol of substance

One mol of substance contains 6.02 1023 particles. [atoms, molecules or ions]

1 mol of atomic substance contains 6 .02 1023 atoms.

Example :
(i) 1 mol of sodium, Na contains 6.02 1023 sodium atoms.
(ii) 1 mol of copper, Cu contains 6.02 1023 copper atoms.
(iii) 1 mol of iron atom contains 6.02 1023 iron atoms.

1 mol of molecular substance contains 6.02 1023 molecules.

Example :
1 mol of water, H2O contains 6.02 1023 H2O molecules.
1 mol of carbon dioxide, CO2 contains 6.02 1023 CO2 molecules
1 mol of hydrogen gas, H2 contains 6.02 x 1023 hydrogen molecules

(i)
(ii)
(iii)
Activity 4 :-

1.

Define a mole?
..

2.
(i)
(ii)
Chapter 3

A closed glass bottle contains 0.5 mol of oxygen gas, O2.

How many oxygen molecules, O2 are there in the bottle?
How many oxygen atoms are there in the bottle?

Chemical Formulae and Equations

4541 CHEMISTRY

Chapter 3

Solution :

3.

Find the number of moles of molecules in a sample containing 9.03 10 23

molecules of carbon dioxide, CO2.
Solution :

4.

Calculate the number of atoms in 2 mol carbon.

Solution :

5.

How many ions are there in 1.5 mol sodium chloride, NaCl?
Solution :

6.

Calculate the number of moles of bromine molecules, Br2 which consists 1.50
1022 of bromine molecules.
Solution :

7.

How many atoms are there in 2 mol of ammonia, NH3?

Solution :

Chapter 3

Chemical Formulae and Equations

4541 CHEMISTRY

Chapter 3

Activity 5 :1

Calculate the number of atoms contains in :

(a) 0.5 mol of argon, Ar

(b) 0.25 mol of ferum, Fe

How many moles of copper, Cu which contains 3.01 1022 copper atoms?

Calculate the number of molecules that contains in 0.01 mol of ammonia, NH3

Calculate the number of each atom, that contains in :

(a) 1 mol of ammonia, NH3

(b) 0.25 mol of carbon dioxide, CO2

A balloon contains 0.5 mol of oxygen gas, O2.

(a) How many oxygen molecules, O2 are there in the balloon?

(b) How many oxygen atoms are the in the balloon?

Chapter 3

Chemical Formulae and Equations

4541 CHEMISTRY

Chapter 3

A container contains 1.806 1023 oxygen molecules. A sample of 0.5 mol of nitrogen gas is added
to the container. How many molecules are there all together in the container?
Container contains 1.806 1023 oxygen
molecules

+ 0.5 mol
N2 gas

[ SPM 2008 ; P2 : Q3 (b) ]

7

Diagran below shows two balloons containing oxygen gas and carbon dioxide gas respectively.

0.5 mol

0.5 mol

Carbon dioxide
gas, CO2

Oxygen gas, O2

Balloon B

Balloon A
Based on the given information :
(i)
(ii)
(iii)

Chapter 3

calculate the mass of oxygen gas in Balloon A.

calculate the volume of carbon dioxide gas in Balloon B.
compare the number of gas molecules in Balloon A and in Balloon B.
[ Relative atomic mass : C = 12 ; O = 16 ]
[ Molar volume of gas = 24 dm3 mol-1 at room temperature and pressure ]

Chemical Formulae and Equations

4541 CHEMISTRY

Chapter 3

For IONIC substances

Example :

(i)

1 mol of sodium chloride contains 6.02 x 1023 formula units of sodium chloride.

NaCl

Na+

1 mol

1 mol

Cl-

1 mol

1 mol of sodium chloride, NaCl contains 1 mol of Na+ ion and 1 mol of Cl- ion
= 6 .02 10 23 of Na+ ion + 6.02 10 23 of Cl- ion

Total number of ions

(ii)

2 mol of aluminium oxide contains 2 6.02 x 1023 formula units of aluminium oxide.

Al2O3

2Al3+

1 mol

2 mol

3 mol

2 mol

4 mol

6 mol

3O2-

2 mol of aluminium oxide, Al2O3 contains 4 mol of Al3+ ion and 6 mol of O2- ion
= 4 [ 6.02 1023 ] of Al3+ ion + 6 [ 6 .02 10 23 ] of O2- ion

Total number of ions

We can convert the number of mole to the number of particles and vise versa by using the
following relationship :

NA
Number of particles

Number of mole

Number of particles

NA

NA

Activity 5 :Complete these equations :

Number of mole

.
Avogandro constant

Number of particles =

Chapter 3

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Chapter 3

Activity 6 :

Identify the ions that exist in the following ionic compound.

Calculate the number of moles and the number of each ion that contains in the compound.
Ions

(a)

0.10 mol copper(II) sulphate, CuSO4

CuSO4 Cu2+ + SO421 mol

(b)

1 mol

1mol

0.05 mol aluminium oxide, Al2O3

Al2O3
1 mol

2Al3+ + 3O22 mol

3 mol

(c)

2.5 mol of iron(III) nitrate, Fe(NO3)3

(d)

2.5 mol of magnesium chloride, MgCl2

(e)

0.05 mol of sodium sulphate, Na2SO4

(f)

0.25 mol of zinc nitrate, Zn(NO3)2

(g)

0.05 mol of ammonium sulphate, (NH4)2SO4

(h)

1.5 mol of ammonium chloride, NH4Cl

(i)

0.005 mol of nitric acid, HNO3

(j)

1.0 mol of hydrochloric acid, HCl

(k)

0.15 mol of sulphuric acid, H2SO4

Chapter 3

11

Number
of moles
( mol)

Number of ions
(ions)

Cu2+

0.01

0.01 6.02 1023

SO42-

0.01

0.01 6.02 1023

Al3+

2 0.05

2 0.05 6.02 1023

O2-

3 0.05

3 0.05 6.02 1023

Chemical Formulae and Equations

4541 CHEMISTRY

B2

Chapter 3

The Mole and the Mass of Substances

Refer to CLINIC MODULE 3

The molar mass of substances is the mass of 1 mol of the substances. It has a unit g mol-1

That means,
The molar mass of substances is the mass of 6.02 10 23 particles of substances.

The molar mass of any substances is numerically equal to its relative atomic mass, relative
molecular mass or relative formula mass.
Example :
Relative mass

Molar mass ( g mol-1)

Sodium, Na

23

23

Calcium, Ca

40

Substances

Oxygen gas, O2

2(16)

Methane, CH4

12 + 4(1)

16

Sodium oxide, Na2O

Zinc chloride, ZnCl2
Ammonia, NH3
[Relative atomic mass: H = 1; C = 12; N = 14; O =16; Na = 23; Cl = 35.5; Ca = 40; Zn = 65 ]

We can convert the number of moles to the mass of substance and vise versa by using the
following relationship :

Ar or Mr

Number of mole

Mass
Mass (g)

Ar @ Mr

Ar or Mr

Activity 7 :Complete these equations :

Number of mole

.
Relative atomic mass

Mass

Chapter 3

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Chapter 3

Activity 8 :[Relative atomic mass: H = 1; N = 14; O =16; Cl = 35.5; Ca = 40; Zn = 65 ]

1

Calculate the number of mole of :

(a) 2.0 g calcium, Ca

(b) 3.2 g oxygen gas, O2

What is the mass of :

(a) 0.1 mol ammonia, NH3 ?

(b) 0.25 mol zinc chloride, ZnCl 2 ?

Equal number of moles of substances contains the same number of particles.

Example:
1 mol of aluminium, Al contains the same number of atoms as 1 mol of iron, Fe.
0.5 mol of water, H2O contains the same number of molecules as 0.5 mol of carbon dioxide, CO2
Activity 9 :[Relative atomic mass: O =16; Mg = 24; Cl = 35.5; Ar = 40 ]
(i)

What is the mass of magnesium that has the same number of atoms as in 4 g of argon?

(ii)

What is the mass of oxygen gas that has twice the number of molecules as in 1.42 g of chlorine gas?

Chapter 3

13

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Chapter 3

STP :

B3

Room conditions :

T = 0 oC
P = 1 atm

The Mole and the Volume of Gas

T = 25 oC
P = 1 atm

1. The molar volume of a gas (Vmg) is defined as the volume occupied by one mol of the gas.
2. One mole of any gas always has the same volume under the same temperature and pressure.
3. The molar volume of any gas is 22.4 dm3 at STP or 24 dm3 at room conditions.

We can convert the number of moles to the volume of gas and vise versa by using the following
relationship :

Vmg

Vg
Number of moles

Volume of gas (dm3)

Vmg

Vmg
Activity 8 :Complete these equations :
Number of mole

.
Molar volume of gas

Volume of gas

Example :

1 mol of oxygen gas, O2 occupies 22.4 dm3 at STP.

0.5 mol of oxygen gas, O2 occupies 0.5 22.4 dm3 at STP.

2 mol of nitrogen gas, N2 occupies 2 24 dm3 at room conditions.

3 mol of chlorine gas, Cl2 occupies 3 24 dm3 at room conditions.

0.1 mol of oxygen gas, O2 occupies .... dm3 at STP.
0.25 mol of oxygen gas, O2 occupies ... cm3 at STP.
12 mol of nitrogen gas, N2 occupies . dm3 at room conditions.

Chapter 3

14

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Chapter 3

3 mol of chlorine gas, Cl2 occupies .. cm3 at room conditions.

Activity 9 :1. Calculate the volume of 0.01 mol hydrogen gas at STP.

2. What is the volume of 1.2 mol of ammonia gas at STP?

3. How many moles of nitrogen gas are present in 600 cm3 of the gas measured at room conditions?

4. Diagram below shows three balloons filled with different gas at room conditions.

Hydrogen, H2
24.0 dm3

Oxygen, O2

gas

6.02 1023
molecules

gas

32.0 g

Carbon dioxide,
CO2 gas

(a) Complete the table below :

Type of gas
Volume of gas / dm3

Hydrogen, H2

Oxygen, O2

Carbon dioxide, CO2

24.0

Mass / g

32.0

Number of molecules /
molecules

6.02 1023

Number of moles / mol

Chapter 3

15

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Chapter 3

(b) State the relationship between :

(i)

the volume of gas and the number of moles

(ii)

the volume of gas and the number of molecules

(iii)

the number of molecules and the number of moles

(c) State the relationship between :

(i)

the molar volume of gas, Vmg and the number of moles, n

(ii)

the molar volume of gas Vmg and Avogadro constant, NA

(iii) the number of moles, n and Avogadro constant, NA

Chapter 3

16

Chemical Formulae and Equations