ATENEO DE DAVAO UNIVERSITY

Km 7 Central Park Blvd, Talomo, 8016 Davao City, Philippines

Tel No. +63 (82) 221.2411 local 8608
E-Mail: shs@addu.edu.ph * www.addu.edu.ph

In Consortium with Ateneo de Zamboanga University and Xavier University

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL - CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICAL SCIENCE

LEARNING CONTENT: GRADE 12

GENERAL CHEMISTRY 1

THE MOLE - COUNTING ATOMS AND MOLECULES

(STOICHIOMETRY PART 1)

INTRODUCTION
Much of our previous discussions on Chemistry have been mostly qualitative except for
the measurements part. However, as we have learned earlier, Chemistry is a quantitative science.
Stoichiometry is an area of Chemistry that deals with the quantitative nature of chemical
formulas and chemical reactions. This topic is divided into three parts the first two parts deal with
composition stoichiometry and the third part deals with reaction stoichiometry. Composition
stoichiometry refers to the mass relations of the atoms in a molecule or compound, also called
stoichiometry of chemical formula.

Atomic Masses
Question: Why is the atomic mass of the elements in the periodic table, not integers?

We have learned last time that the mass of an atom is

concentrated at its nucleus. Thus, the mass of an atom expressed in
mass number is the sum of the total number of protons and neutrons.
These mass numbers are said to be a whole number approximation
of the atomic mass in the periodic table. Unlike mass numbers, the
atomic mass of the elements in the periodic table is not whole
numbers. They are determined experimentally using mass
spectrometers. For example, the mass of lithium is 6.941 amu and not
exactly 7. This is because lithium has two naturally occurring isotopes,
Lithium-6 (7.500%) and Lithium-7 (92.50%) where the most abundant
isotope is Lithium-7.
The mass of an atom can be expressed as relative atomic
mass or average atomic mass. The relative atomic mass is the
calculated average mass for the isotopes of an element, expressed
on a scale where C-12 serves as the reference atom. For example, on
this scale, the mass of magnesium, Mg is 24.3050 amu. This tells us
that relative to carbon-12, an atom of magnesium is 24.3050 or
2.025 times the mass of C-12 (Note that the atomic mass of C-12 is
exactly 12 amu. In calculations, this is treated as an exact number)
thus Mg atoms are two times heavier than carbon atoms. Another
example is that of hydrogen atoms, whose atomic
mass is 1.00794 amu. Comparing this to the standard
C-12, hydrogen atoms are about 12 times lighter than
carbon atoms.
AdDU-SHS I General Chemistry 1 I 1
 A very similar concept to relative atomic mass is the average atomic mass defined as the
weighted-average mass of all naturally occurring isotopes of an element. It is calculated from the
isotopes of an element weighted by their relative abundances.
The atomic mass of the elements in the periodic table is
expressed as an average atomic mass which takes into account
the different naturally occurring isotopes of an element and
their relative abundances. It is not a simple average that is
taken but a weighted average. It is like how your grade every
grading period is computed, that is WW – 30%, ET/PT – 45%,
PE – 25%. Going back to our example of lithium isotopes
earlier, the mass, 6.941 amu of lithium does not refer to a
particular atom of lithium with a said mass, rather to the
weighted average mass of the two isotopes instead.

The Mole Concept

Question: How much does an atom weigh?

Atoms are too small to be seen by our naked eye such that it would be impossible to count
or weigh them using even the most sensitive laboratory balance. Since the masses of individual
atoms are so tiny (on the order of 10-23 g/atom), chemists do not measure the mass of atoms or
molecules individually, for instance, the masses of compounds and elements used by chemists
typically range from milligrams to grams. However, it is also important to know the
transformations that occur between individual atoms or molecules in a chemical reaction, it is
therefore essential for chemists to know how many atoms or molecules are contained in a
measurable quantity in the laboratory, that is, in a given mass of a sample.

Complete the table below with the information needed in the second and third columns.
Substance Collective Counting Word Number of Particles

? ?

? ?

? ?

? ?

The collective counting words above are used as convenient terms to describe the
number of items collectively. And since samples of matter usually contain so many atoms or
molecules, a unit of measure called the mole has been used by chemists in counting a known
number of particles. The word mole (mol) is taken from the Latin word mole meaning “pile” or
AdDU-SHS I General Chemistry 1 I 2
“heap”. A mole is defined as the amount of substance that contains as many atoms, molecules,
or ions, as there are atoms in exactly 12 g of carbon-12. According to the most recent
experimental measurements, this mass of carbon-12 contains 6.022142 × 1023 atoms, but for
most purposes, 6.022 × 1023 provides an adequate number of significant figures. Thus, a mole is
also defined as a unit of quantity that consists of 6.022x1023 particles. This number is called
Avogadro’s number (NA), after the 19th-century Italian scientist who first proposed a relationship
between the volumes of gases and the numbers of particles they contain. The mole is so large
that it is useful only for measuring very small objects, such as atoms.

One mole of any substance always has the same number of particles; 6.022 × 1023. That is,

1 mol of an element = 6.022 x 1023 atoms

1 mol of a molecular compound = 6.022 x 1023 molecules
1 mol of ion = 6.022 x 1023 ions
1 mol of an ionic compound = 6.022 x 1023 formula units
1 mol of an element = atomic mass of the element (amu)
1 mol of a compound = molecular/formula mass of the compound (amu)

However, 1 mole of different substances has

different masses. Consider the figure below. Each of the
substances contains one mole and each contains
6.022x1023 atoms of the indicated elements and yet each
substance has different masses.
The mole is an important quantitative unit used in
chemical calculations. Knowledge of the mole concept,
therefore, is the key to relating mass, mole, and number of
particles in elements, compounds, and chemical reactions.
This is important in chemical calculations which is known
as stoichiometry.

Molar Mass

The mass in grams of one mole of a substance is called molar mass. Thus, one mole of
isotopically pure carbon-12 has a mass of 12.01 g. For an element, the molar mass is the mass of
1 mol of atoms of that element; for a covalent molecular compound, it is the mass of 1 mol of
molecules of that compound; for an ionic compound, it is the mass of 1 mol of formula units. That
is, the molar mass of a substance is the mass (in grams per mole) of 6.022 × 1023 atoms, molecules,
or formula units of that substance. In each case, the mass of one mole of a substance is
numerically equal to the atomic mass units (amu) that describe the atomic mass, the molecular
mass, or the formula mass, respectively.

Furthermore, the symbol of any element, the chemical formula of any compounds, etc.
represent one mole of that substance thus they contain the same Avogadro’s number of particles
however each of these substances has different masses.

Substance Formula Number of Number of Particles Atomic, Molecular, or Molar Mass

Moles Formula Mass (amu) (g/mol)

carbon (C) 1 6.022 x 1023 atoms of C 12.01 12.01

ethanol 1 6.022 x 1023 molecules of 46.08 46.08

(C2H5OH) C2H5OH

Na+ 1 6.022 x 1023 ions of Na+ 22.99 22.99

AdDU-SHS I General Chemistry 1 I 3

 calcium 1 6.022 x 1023 formula units 310.18 310.18
phosphate of Ca3(PO4)2
[Ca3(PO4)2]

The molar mass is calculated by adding all the atomic masses of all the atoms in the
compound’s formula. For monatomic elements, the molar mass is numerically equal to the
atomic mass in the periodic table.

Example 1: Calculate the molar mass of the following compounds.

a.) ethanol (C2H5OH)
C = 2 x 12.01 = 24.02
H = 6 x 1.01 = 6.06
O = 1 x 16.00 = 16.00
46.08 g/mol
b.) calcium phosphate
[Ca3(PO4)2]
Ca = 3 x 40.08 = 120.24
P = 2 x 30.97 = 61.94
O = 8 x 16.00 = 128.00
310.18 g/mol
c.) Sodium oxide (Na2O)
Na = 2 x 22.99 = 45.98
O = 1 x 16.00 = 16.00
61.98 g/mol

PRACTICE TASK 1.1

Calculate the molar mass of the following compounds.
1. silicon dioxide
2. C6H12O6
3. ammonium phosphate
4. aluminum sulfate
5. CuSO4.5H2O

Mole Relationships
As mentioned earlier, the mole is an important concept that enables us to calculate the
mass of a substance needed to obtain the desired number of atoms, molecules, or formula units.

4.1 Mole-to-Mass and Mass-to-Mole Conversion

To convert moles of a substance to mass, the following relationship is used:
mass = (moles) * (molar mass)
grams = mol * (grams / mol) or

General Equation:
m = n x MM
where m = mass in grams
n = number of mol
MM = molar mass

Example 2: Zinc iodide (ZnI2), can be prepared by the direct combination of elements. A
chemist determines from the amounts that 0.0654 mol ZnI2 can form. How
many grams of zinc iodide is this?

Given: n = 0.0654 mol ZnI2

Required: ?m of ZnI2 in 0.0654 mol ZnI2

* solve for the M of ZnI2

MM = 1 Zn + 2 I = 1 (65.39) + 2(126.90) = 319.19 g/mol
* solve for m of ZnI2
319.19 𝑔 𝑍𝑛𝐼2
?m = (0.0654 mol ZnI2 ) ( ) = 20.88 g (ans.)
𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑍𝑛𝐼2

AdDU-SHS I General Chemistry 1 I 4

 On the contrary, to convert the mass of a substance to moles:
moles = (grams / molar mass)
moles = grams / (grams/mole)

General Equation:
n = m / MM

Example 3: How many moles are there in 180.00g of calcium?

Given: m = 180.00 g Ca ; 40.08 g/mol (MM of Ca)

Required: ?n of Ca in 180.00 g sample

* solve for n
1 𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐶𝑎
?n = (180.00 g CO) (40.08 𝑔 𝐶𝑎) = 4.49 mol Ca (ans.)

4.2 Mass-to-Number of Particles Conversion

To convert mol of a substance to its number of particles, we use the following
conversion:

number of particles = (moles) * Avogadro’s number of particles

number of particles = (moles) * (6.022 x 1023 particles/mol)

General Equation:
N = n x NA
where N = number of particles (atom, molecule, ion, formula unit,
etc.)
n = number of mol
NA = Avogadro’s number of particles, 6.022 x 1023 particles/mol

Expanded Equation: (when mass is given)

N =( 𝒎⁄𝑴𝑴) x NA
where m = mass in grams
MM = molar mass

Example 4: How many molecules are there in 5.00 mol of water?

Given: n = 5.00 mol H2O
Required: ?N of H2O molecules in 5.00 mol H2O

* solve for N of H2O

?N = (5.00 mol H2O ) (6.022x1023 molecules/mol H2O)
= 3.01x1024 molecules (ans.)

Example 5: How many atoms are there in 157.0 g Ca?

Given: g = 157.0 g Ca ; 40.08 g/mol (MM of Ca)

Required: ?N of Ca atoms in 157.0 g Ca

* solve for N of Ca
?N = (157.0 g Ca) (1 𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝐶𝑎⁄40.08 𝑔 𝐶𝑎)(6.022x1023 atoms/mol Ca)
= 2.36 x 1024 atoms (ans.)
AdDU-SHS I General Chemistry 1 I 5
 To convert number of particles of a substance to mass of the given substance, we
use the following conversion:

mass = (number of particles / Avogadro’s number of particles) * (molar mass)

mass = (number of particles / 6.022 x 1023 particles/mol) * (g/mol)

General Equation:
m = (N / NA) * (MM)

Example 6: What is the mass in grams of a chlorine atom, Cl?

Given: 1 chlorine atom ; 35.45 g/mol (MM of Cl)
Required: ?m of a Cl atom
* solve for m of Cl
?m = 1 atom Cl (1 mol Cl / 6.022 x 1023 atoms Cl)) (35.45 g/mol)
= 5.89 x 10 -23 g (ans.)
Example 7: What is the mass in grams of a hydrogen chloride molecule, HCl?
Given: 1 molecule HCl
Required: ?g of HCl molecule
* solve for M HCl
MM = 1 H + 1 Cl = 1(1.01) + 1(35.45) = 36.46 g/mol
* solve for m of HCl
?m = 1 molecule HCl (1 mol HCl / 6.022 x 1023 molecule HCl))
( 36.46 g/mol)
= 6.05 x 10 -23 g (ans.)
PRACTICE TASK 1.2:
Calculate the molar mass and solve what is asked in the following problems. Round off your
answer to two decimal places.
1.) Calculate the mass in grams of 0.520 mol dinitrogen tetroxide.
2.) Calculate the number of moles in 5.00 × 102 g of bleach (NaClO).
3.) Determine the number of molecules in 1.03 mol N2O5.
4.) Solutions of iodine are used as antiseptics and disinfectants. How many iodine atoms
correspond to 11.0 g of molecular iodine (I2)?
5.) Prussian blue, Fe4[Fe(CN)6]3, is a dark blue pigment, that is used to treat radioactive cesium
or thallium or non-radioactive thallium poisoning. It interacts by combining with thallium
and cesium in the intestines and is then excreted from the body through the stools. If a 500-
mg capsule is administered to a patient,
a.) How many moles of Prussian blue is this?
b.) How many formula units are there?
c.) How many ferrocyanide ions, Fe(CN)64-, are there?

AdDU-SHS I General Chemistry 1 I 6