Cha 9
Cha 9
CHAPTER 9
THE MOLE CONCEPT
In this chapter we shall describe the chemist's ideas of measuring the amount of
substances. Then, based upon these ideas, Avogadro Number will be introduced, to show
the chemist's way of counting atoms and molecules. We shall also describe the unit
amount of substance - the mole or gram molecule which represents both the number of
particles and the mass in grams in calculations based on chemical equations.
and the molecules in terms of mass, because the atoms of different elements have
different masses.
If the relevant conclusion still eludes you, try to answer the following questions
(b) and (c) then try to answer the question (a) again.
(b) What is the number of atoms present in the relative atomic mass in grams of each
element?
(c) What is the relation between the numbers of atoms present in the relative atomic
mass in grams of each element?
Since the number of atoms present in the relative atomic mass in grams of each
element is L, it can be concluded that :
The number of atoms present in the relative
atomic mass in grams is the same for all
elements.
value of this number is 6.02x1023. This number is known as the Avogadro Number and
is represented by the symbol L.
L = 6.02 x 1023
Since the Avogadro Number is constant for all elements, it is also called the
Avogadro Constant and may be defined by referring to the atomic mass in grams of any
element. However, since 12C has been chosen as the reference element, Avogadro
Number or Constant is defined by referring to 12C as follows:
The Avogadro Number or Constant is
the number of carbon atoms present in
exactly 12 g of 12C.
Chemists have chosen the Avogadro Number as the standard for measuring the
amount of atoms and molecules.
Remember that the Avogadro Number is related to the relative atomic mass in
grams or the relative molecular mass in grams.
The relative atomic mass in grams of any element contains 6.02 x 10 23 atoms, the
number being equal to the Avogadro Number. The relative molecular mass in grams of
any element or compound contains 6.02 x 10 23 molecule, the number being equal to the'
Avogadro Number.
We shall see below that we can count the number of atoms and molecules by
weighing out multiples or fractions of the relative atomic masses or the relative
molecular masses.
* The numerical value of the Avogadro's Number was first determined by Loschmidt and
is now represented by the letter L to honour him.
Now, there are 6.02 x 1023 molecules in 32 g or the relative molecular mass in
grams of oxygen.
Hence, to obtain 6.02 x 1023 molecules of oxygen, we must weigh out 32 g of
oxygen.
Or, if we want 6.02 x 1023 molecules of oxygen, we must weigh out 32 g = 16g of
2 2
oxygen.
From the above illustrations, we can see that to obtain the required numbers of
atoms or molecules of substances, we have to weigh out multiples or fractions of the
relative atomic or molecular masses in grams of the substances which contain the
required numbers of atoms or molecules.
The difference between one mole of atoms and one mole of molecules
Let us take oxygen as an example. One mole of oxygen atoms (O) contains the Avogadro
Number of the oxygen atoms. Since the relative atomic mass of O atom is 16, one mole
of O atoms, that is the Avogadro Number of O atoms, weighs 16 g.
Similarly, one mole of oxygen molecules contains the Avogadro Number of the
oxygen molecules. However, since two atoms of oxygen combine to form one oxygen
molecule, the relative molecular mass of oxygen is 2 x 16 = 32. Therefore, one mole of
oxygen molecules (O2), that is the Avogadro Number of oxygen molecules, weighs 32
g.
As shown above, one mole of atoms and one mole of molecules of the same
element contain equal numbers of particles. But one mole of atoms and one mole of
molecules are different in mass.
Thus, it is required to specify clearly what kind of particle is being considered in
the calculation of one mole of a substance such as :
One mole of oxygen atoms (O)
(or)
One mole of oxygen molecules (O2)
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9.9 Correlation of the Number of Particles with their Masses by Mole Unit
The mole represent the Avogadro Number of particles (atoms or molecules) as well as
the total mass of these particles which is equal to relative atomic mass in grams or
relative molecular mass in grams of the substance.
In this way the mole correlates the reacting number of atoms and molecules in a
chemical equation with the actual masses in grams of the reacting substances. The actual
masses in grams of the reacting substance must be weighed in a balance.
By using the mole units we can predict the masses of the reactants and the
products that take part in a chemical reaction which is expressed by a chemical equation.
This can be illustrated by the following example.
Example:
When magnesium and sulphur are heated together, they react to form magnesium
sulphide. What weight of sulphur is required to react with exactly 6 g of magnisum to
form magnesium sulphide?
The chemical equation for this reaction is
Mg (s) + S (s) = MgS (s)
From the above chemical equation we can see that each atom of Mg reacts with 1
atom of S to form MgS.
In what mole ratio do Mg atoms react with S atoms?
The above chemical equation points out that Mg atoms and S atoms react in equal
numbers to form MgS.
Therefore, L number of Mg atoms will react with L number of S atoms to form
MgS.
Since L number of atoms is 1 mole of atoms, 1 mole of Mg atoms will react with
1 mole of S atoms to form MgS.
How many atoms are there in 6 g of Mg?
Since the relative atomic mass of Mg is 24, 1 mole (L numbers) of Mg atoms
weighs 24 g.
24 g of Mg contains 1 mole (L number) of Mg atoms
6 g ……. ……… ……… …….. ……… ?
= 6 = 0.25 mole of Mg atoms
24
Step 2
Write down the balanced equation and 2Mg (s) + O2 (g) = 2MgO (s)
the mole ratio of the reactants and 0.25 mol = ?
the products.
Step 3
Calculate the mole of MgO formed From the equation, 2 moles of Mg
from 0.25 mole of O2 and 1 mole of O2 gave rise to 2
moles of MgO.
0.25 mole of O2 … … … 2 x 0.25
= 0.5 mol of MgO
Step 4
Convert 0.5 mole of MgO into The relative formula mass of
mass in grams. MgO = 24 + 16 = 40
Mg = 24 and O = 16 1 mol of MgO = 40 g
0.5 mol of MgO = 0.5 x 40 g
= 20 g
20 g of MgO is formed from 8 g of O2
Since the density of a gas depends upon the volume which varies with
temperature and pressure, the density of a gas also varies with temperature and pressure.
For easy reference and for convenience the densities of gases are measured under
certain standard condition of temperature and pressure.
The standard temperature is 0 °C,
The standard pressure is 760 mm Hg
They are referred to as STP meaning Standard Temperature and Pressure.
The volume of one mole of a gas at STP
The volume of one mole of a gas at STP in dm 3, can be calculated by dividing the
relative mass of one mole of the gas by its density.
The volume of one mole Relative mass of one mole of a gas
=
of a gas at STP The density of the gas
One mole of the gas can be calculated from the formula of the gas and its relative
atomic mass.
The density of the gas is determined by experiment.
As an example, let us determine the volume at STP occupied by one mole of
hydrogen.
The formula of hydrogen = H2
The relative atomic mass of H = 1.008
The relative molecular mass of H2 = 2 x 1.008 = 2.016
One mole of H2 = 2.016 g
The density of hydrogen at STP = 0.098 g dm-3 (found by experiment)
2.016 g
= 0.098 g dm-3 = 22.4 dm3
9.12 Determination of the Relative Molecular Mass of a Gas from its Molar
Volume
The relative molecular mass of a gas can be experimentally found out by different
methods. Some of these methods will be described in the later courses. In this section we
shall describe how the relative molecular mass of a gas can be found out from its molar
volume which can be determined by experiment. The procedure is as follows:
(1) The mass of a known volume of a gas at STP is experimentally determined.
(2) From these experimental results, the mass occupied by 22.4 dm 3 of the gas at
STP is calculated.
(3) The calculated mass is equal to one mole of the gas and thus the numerical value
of the calculated mass corresponds to the molecular mass of gas. We shall
illustrate the procedure with an example in the following paragraphs.
By an experiment it was found that the volume of 1.4 dm 3 of oxygen gas at STP
weighed 2 g.
How can we say that an oxygen molecule consists of two atoms of oxygen?
In Chapter 5 and 7 it has been described that each oxygen molecule consists of two atoms
of oxygen. We can prove this in many ways and some of the methods will be described
in the later courses. One such method will be described below.
The relative molecular mass divided by the relative atomic mass will give the
number of atoms in the oxygen molecule.
For example, the relative molecular mass of oxygen as found out from its molar
volume is 32.
The relative atomic mass of oxygen is 16.
32
The number of oxygen atoms present in an oxygen molecule = 16 = 2.
One molecule of oxygen consists of 2 atoms of oxygen.
In the same way the relative molecular masses of hydrogen, nitrogen and chlorine
can be found out from their molar volumes as described above. By diving the relative
molecular mass by the respective relative atomic mass, we can find the number of atoms
present in one molecule of the gas.
The results indicate that one molecule of these gases consists of two atoms of the
element.
Based upon these experimental results, we can now fully understand why the
formula of oxygen is written as O2, hydrogen as H2, nitrogen as N2 and chlorine as Cl2.
SUMMARY
(e) How many grams of aluminium will contain the same number of atoms as
there are molecules in 3 g of water?
6. Use the relative atomic masses given in the table.
(a) How many moles of nitrogen, N2 have the same number of particles as in 12
g of carbon?
(b) How many moles of magnesium have the same number of particles a as in
56 g of nitrogen, N2?
(c) How many moles of sulphur have the same number of particles as in 4 g of
oxygen, O2?
(d) How many moles of calcium have the same number of atoms as in 6 g of
magnesium?
(e) How many moles of lithium have the same number of atoms as in 8 g of
iron?
7. Give the equivalent in the moles for each of the following.
(a) 3.2 dm3 of nitrogen at STP.
(b) 5.5 dm3 of carbon dioxide at STP.
(c) 11.2 dm3 of oxygen at STP.
(d) 1.6 dm3 of chlorine at STP.
(e) 1.4 dm3 of hydrogen at STP.
(f) 44.8 dm3 of sulphur dioxide at STP.
8. What is the volume in dm3 at STP of each of the following?
(a) oxygen, O2 0.5 mole (e) carbon dioxide 0.4 mole
(b) nitrogen N2 0.2 mole (f) sulphur dioxide 0.5 mole
(c) chlorine, Cl2 0.4 mole (g) water vapour 0.9 mole
(d) hydrogen, H2 0.75 mole (h) carbon dioxide 3 moles
3
9. What is the volume in dm at STP of each of the following?
(a) 11 g of carbon dioxide (d) 35.5 g of chlorine
(b) 8 g of oxygen (e) 6.4 g of sulphur dioxide
(c) 7 g of nitrogen (f) 4.5 g of water vapour
10. What is the mass of each of the following?
(a) 5.6 dm3 of carbon dioxide at STP.
(b) 2.8 dm3 of oxygen at STP.
(c) 11.2 dm3 of nitrogen at STP.
(d) 4.48 dm3 of chlorine at STP.
(e) 44.8 dm3 of sulphur dioxide at STP.
(f) 2240 dm3 of water vapour at STP.
11. 6 g of pure carbon is completely burnt in oxygen. The chemical equation for this
reaction is :
C (s) + O2 (g) = CO2 (g)
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