Counting in Chemistry

When referring to atoms, molecules, protons

etc. there are many very, very large numbers
that we need to deal with.
The mole is the SI unit for the ‘amount of
substance’ and has the abbreviation of ‘mol’.
It is a huge number:
602 000 000 000 000 000 000 000,00 OR

6,02 X 1023 & we usually talk about multiples

or sub-multiples of this number i.e ½ mol or
3 mol etc. 1
 The mole
• The mole
– The number of elementary particles that is equal
to the number of carbon atoms in 12 g of
carbon-12 isotope.

i.e. there are 6,02 x 1023 atoms of carbon in 12 g

of the carbon-12 isotope.

1 mole of any/every element thus contains

6,02 x 1023 atoms of that element

This number of particles is also called the

Avogadro constant
The mole 2
 One mole of each substance:
The following contain 1 mole (6 x 1023) atoms:

32 g sulphur 12 g carbon 65 g zinc

250 g CuSO4.5H2O 18 g H2O 58,5 g NaCl

These contain 1 mole of molecules or formula units

3
 Basic Concepts
• Atomic number:
– number of protons (also equal to number ē).
• Mass number:
– number of nucleons (particles in nucleus).
• Element:
– a substance of which all atoms have the
same atomic number.
• Isotope: Atomic number

– different atoms of the same element with

different mass numbers.
35 37 Are isotopes of chlorine.
17
Cl 17
Cl 4
 Relative atomic mass (RAM)
• Relative atomic mass:
– This is a number that compares the average mass
of an atom with the mass of the C-12 atom taken
to be 12 units. RAM

– Take note that it is a rough, average idea of the

number of nucleons an atom has. Because we
are considering a mixture of isotopes, we get
fractions though. No real atom of Carbon has
12,011 nucleons for instance.

It indicates how many times an atom is heavier than

the mass of a nucleon (proton or neutron) and has
been assigned the value of 1 unit – expressed as
(amu). 5
 Calculating RAM for Cl
In nature 75,4% is Cl-35 & 24,6% is Cl-37 so:
35
Mass of 17 Cl = 75,4 x 35 = 2639 (mass of 75 atoms)

Mass of 37 Cl = 24,6 x 37 = 910,2 (mass of 25 atoms)

17

∴ Total Mass of 100 Cl atoms: = 3549,2

∴RAM of Cl = 3549,2/100 = 35,492 amu
This is the average mass of a Cl atom – as they occur
in nature (Cl only has 2 isotopes) – compared to the
mass of 1/12 of the mass of an atom of the C-12
isotope. 6
 Relative atomic mass (RAM)
The RAM of an element is usually expressed to
the nearest whole number – except for Cl & Cu.
C = 12 amu Na = 23 amu but Cl = 35.5 amu.

Write down the RAM for the following:

Mg K Li Ne H Pb

These numbers are obtained from the periodic

table
7
 Relative molecular mass (Mr)
This is the mass of 1 molecule of a covalent
substance – relative to the mass of 1 atom of
carbon-12 isotope.
It has the symbol Mr and the unit is also amu.
Find the relative molecular mass of water.
Mr(H2O) = 2(1) + 16 = 18 amu
Find the relative molecular mass of carbon
dioxide.
Mr(CO2) = 12 + 2(16) = 44 amu
Find the relative molecular masses for the
8
following: SO H S NH NO Name them?
 Relative formula mass
This is the mass of a formula unit of an ionic
compound, calculated by adding relative atomic
masses (RAM) together in their ratios.
Find the relative formula mass of calcium nitrate
Mr [Ca(NO3)2] = 40 +(2x14) +(6x16)
= 164 amu
i.e. Mass of one formula unit is 164 – relative to C-12.
C-12 is the international standard used today & masses
of all other atoms, molecules etc are determined from
this particular isotope of C. 9
Relative molecular/formula mass
Now find the relative molecular/formula mass of
each of the following substances:

HCl, H2O, CO2, H2SO4, & K2Cr2O7

Answers: 36,5 amu, 18 amu, 44 amu, 98 amu, &

294 amu respectively.
Ensure that you understand how each of these
values is obtained.
This simply means that the mass of a molecule of
HCl is 36,5 times as heavy as a nucleon (= 1 amu)
10
– relative to the C-12 isotope etc.
 Molar mass
The molar mass of a substance is the mass of 1
mole of the substance and it is expressed in
g∙mol-1. Molar mass

It is determined by expressing the RAM in gram.

Relative molecular mass of water is 18 amu
Molar mass of water is 18 g∙mol-1
This means that 1 mole of water has a mass of
18 g & contains 6,02 x 1023 molecules of H2O.
Find the molar masses of the following:
11
NaCl H2SO4 CuSO4 Ca(OH)2
 Finding the number of moles
• One mole of any substance is the relative atomic
mass or the relative formula mass expressed in
g.mol-1.
• One mol of Na is 23 g.mol-1, while one mol of water
is 18 g.mol-1
• The number of moles is determined as follows:
• n= m/Mr
• Where n = no. of moles, m = mass, Mr = molar mass
• How many moles are there in 40 g of carbon?
• n = m/Mr n = 40 g/ 12 g.mol-1 = 3.33 mol of C.

12
 The mole
Consider each of the following masses:

1gH 16 g of O 35,5 g of Cl 36,5 g HCl 44 g CO2

Each contain 1 mole of Both contain 1 mole

atoms of molecules

These are the relative These are the relative

atomic masses expressed molecular masses
in gram. expressed in gram.

Each contain 6,02 x 1023 particles – either

atoms or molecules. 13
 The mole
1 g of H contains 6,02 x 1023 atoms or
1 g of H contains ½ (6,02 x 1023 ) molecules
(Since H is diatomic: H2)
2 g of H contains 6,02 x 1023 molecules or
2 g of H contains 2(6,02 x 1023) atoms

Find the following:

The number of molecules in 16 g of oxygen.
The number of molecules in 142 g of chlorine.
The number of atoms in 64 g of oxygen 14
 Water of crystallisation
Some salts contain water that is trapped within
the crystal structure – as the crystals were
originally formed. Heating copper sulphate

This is called water of crystallisation.

Examples: CuSO4∙5H2O, MgSO4∙7H2O (Epsom
salts), (CaSO4)2∙2H2O (Plaster of Paris).
This means that there are 5 moles of water of
crystallisation per mole of CuSO4.
Heating blue CuSO4∙5H2O crystals will remove
the water of crystallisation as it changes to white
15
 Determining composition of
substances
It is very useful in Chemistry to be able to
analyse substances & calculate masses &/or
volumes of reacting substances and the
products that are formed in chemical reactions.

This useful when producing fertilizers,

medicines, plastics and the production of many
other substances.

Here we need to consider how many moles are

reacting etc. 16
 Percentage composition

We sometimes need to find the % of each

element present in a compound.

This is called the percentage composition of the

compound & indicates what % of each element is
present in that particular compound.

If a substance has water of crystallisation – then

we find the % of water of crystallisation in the
compound. % composition
17
 Percentage composition
Find the percentage composition of potassium
chloride.

Write down formula & find KCl = 39 + 35,5

formula mass = 74,5 g.mol-1

% K in KCl is: 39 X 100 = 52,3%

74,5
35,5 X 100 = 47,7%
% Cl in KCl is: 74,5

We can use this method to determine which

fertilizers to use and what % of each element they 18
should contain.
 Empirical formula from %
If you know the percentages of the elements
present in a compound, you can determine its
formula. Empirical formula

If a certain compound contains 11,1% H and

88,9% O, find the formula of the compound.
Convert to gram thus:11,1 g of H + 88,9 g of O
No. of mole of H = 11,1 = 11,1 mole
1
No. of mole of O = 88,9 = 5,55 mole
16
Ratio of H : O is 11,1 : 5,55 i.e. 2: 1
19
∴Empirical formula of this compound is H2O
 Empirical & molecular formula
The empirical formula is determined from the %
composition of a substance & provides the
simplest ratio of the atoms in a molecule.
The molecular formula gives the actual number of
atoms in the molecule.
Molecular formula of a certain compound is C2H4
but its empirical formula is CH2.
One is a ratio while the other is the actual number
of atoms in the molecule.
20
 Solutions
Many solids dissolve in liquids to form solutions.

Solvent – liquid doing the dissolving

Solute – substance being dissolved

When water is the solvent – we refer to aqueous

solutions and indicate with an (aq).

Salt in water could be written as: NaCl(aq) or as

Na+(aq) and Cl-(aq) NaCl in water

The more solute – the higher the concentration. 21

 Concentration of solutions
The common way to express
concentrations of solutions is the number
of moles of solute per cubic decimetre:
No. of moles n
Concentration = volume i.e. c =V

Units are: c in mol∙dm-3

n in mol Concentration

V in dm3
The concentration of a solution is called its
molarity – expressed as: 3 mol∙dm-3 22
 Standard solutions
These are solutions that have been made
up to be a specific concentration – say
0.1 mol per dm3.

Calculate the mass

of solute required
to make up your
standard solution
and then add &
dissolve in water in
a measuring flask. Making a standard solution
23
 Molar gas volume
1 mole of any/every gas at STP occupies 22,4 dm3
& this is called the molar gas volume.
STP means standard temperature (00C or 273K) and
standard pressure (101,3 kPa) or 1 atmosphere
pressure.
This equation can be used to do calculations based
upon these relationships:
pV = nRT

24
 Molar gas volume
1mole
H2
1 mole of every gas
1mole
occupies 22,4 dm3 at
STP.
CH4 1mole
22,4 dm3 N2 This phenomenon
at STP. only applies to gases
1mole – not solids & liquids.
1mole Molar gas volume
NH3 O2
Avogadro’s hypothesis:
Equal volumes of gases under the same conditions of
temperature & pressure have equal numbers of
molecules i.e. 25

10 cm3 of H2 & O2 have the same number of molecules at STP.

 Mass-mass chemical reactions
Crucible Find mass of crucible without Mg
Mg ribbon
With Mg
Gauze
After reaction completed after
Tripod
heating Mg + oxygen
Bunsen
2Mg + O2 2MgO
2(24) of Mg reacts with (16)2 O2 to form 2(24+16) MgO
∴ 48 g Mg + 32 g O2 forms 80 g of MgO
2 x 32 g O to form 2 X 80 g of MgO
∴ 2g Mg reacts with 2
48 48
2g Mg reacts with 1,33 g of O2 to form 3,33 g of MgO
26
Relate these to the numbers you got.
 Mass-volume chemical reactions
If you are required to find the volume of a gas
formed, first find the number of moles of gas formed
& then use the equation pV = nRT to find the
volume of the gas.

2,4 g of Mg reacts completely to form MgCl2 & H2. Find

the volume of the gas formed at 20 0C & 100 kPa.
Mg + 2HCl MgCl2 + H2
24 g of Mg forms 2 g of H2
∴2,4 g of Mg forms 0.2 g of H2 (0,1 mole)

Now use pV = nRT to find the volume of the gas.

27
Mass volume calculation
 Mass-volume chemical reactions
pV = nRT
100 x 103 x V = 0,1 x 8,31 293

∴V = 0,00243 m3 = 2,43 dm3

If the gas is at STP then you can use molar gas volume
of 22,4 dm3 to find the volume of the gas.
If this problem had been at STP then:
1 mole of H2 at STP occupies 22,4 dm3
∴ 0,1 mole at STP occupies 0,1 x 22,4 = 2,24 dm3
28
Information from Chemical equations
Mg(s) + 2HCl(aq) MgCl2(aq) + H2(g) + energy

The above balanced equation tells us:

1 atom of Mg reacts with 2 molecules of HCl to form
1 molecule of MgCl2 & 1 molecule of H2.
1 mole of solid Mg reacts with 2 mole of HCl in
solution (water), to produce 1 mole of MgCl2 in
solution & 1 mole of H gas in proportion.
24 g of Mg reacts with 2(1 + 35,5) = 73 g of HCl to
form (24 + 71) = 95 g of MgCl2 & 2 g of H2.
Stoichiometry is the study of the amounts of 29

substances that react in chemical reactions.

 Stoichiometric calculations
These are calculations involving masses,
concentrations, volumes, moles etc – relative
to chemical reactions in which reactants for
very definite products.

You need to do many such examples to

ensure that you are completely familiar with all
the different types of chemical calculations in
this section of work.

They are vitally important for G 10, 11 & 12!

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