Introducing the Mole

SCH3U Unit 3 Lesson 1

Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis:
Qualitative analysis is the process of identifying substances in a mixture based
on visual changes. No calculations are involved.

Example: Using a test strip to determine the pH of

a substance.

Quantitative analysis is the process of measuring the quantity of a substance

in a sample using numerical data.

Example: Using a pH meter to measure pH during a chemical

reaction.
A counting unit is a convenient number that makes it easier to count objects.

For example, we often count eggs using dozens.

Molecules and atoms are so small that chemists needed to establish their own
counting unit to help quantify the number of particles present in a sample of a
substance.

Their counting unit was the mole.

 

This is referred to as Avogadro's Number,

NA

In chemistry, the amount (n)of a

substance is the quantity of the
substance measured in mols.
One mole of carbon and one mole of sulfur; both samples contain the same
number of atoms. Since the atoms are different, the mass and volume of each
sample are also different. The amounts of the two substances, however, are the
same.