Chapter 1

Relative atomic mass

Calculating number of moles

1
Masses of atoms and molecules
• Relative atomic mass: how heavy atom comparing to 1/12 masss of
carbon atom
• Relative masses can be measured using mass spectrometer
𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑚 𝐸
• Relative atomic mass of element E = 1
12
𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑚 𝑜𝑓 𝐶12 𝐶𝑎𝑟𝑏𝑜𝑛

• 1H atom mass = 8.4% C 12-atom

8.4
• So 1H atom mass= x 12.00amu= 1.008 amu
100

2
Relative atomic mass
• Relative atomic mass = mass of all isotopes X percent abundance

• Example:
• Carbon has two isotopes 12 and 13 with percent abundance 99% and
1% respectively
99 1
So relative atomic mass = 12x + 13x = 12amu
100 100

3
 The Mole
• One mole of an element is the amount that contains the same
number of atoms as there in 12g of carbon 12
• This number of atoms that are found in one mole is the Avogadro’s
constant = 6.0X 1023mol-1
• Molar mass: is the mass in one mole of an element
• Relative atomic mass for C= 12g
• Molar mass of carbon = 12g/mol
• Amount in moles = mass/molar mass
n= m/M mol
4
Example:
• What is the amount in moles of carbon in 30g of carbon?
Answer:
given quantity X conversion factor = desired quantity
• given unit X (desired unit/given unit) = desired unit
• grams of carbon → moles of carbon
12 g of carbon → 1 mole
Grams of carbon = 30g X (1mol C/ 12g C) = 2.5mol

5
Example
• Calculate the amount in grams of 0.3mol of Oxygen
Answer:
Mol of oxygen → grams of oxygen
1mol of oxygen → 16g of oxygen
16𝑔 𝑂𝑥𝑦𝑔𝑒𝑛
Grams of oxygen = 0.3mol X = 4.8g
1𝑚𝑜𝑙 𝑜𝑥𝑦𝑔𝑒𝑛

6
Number of atoms = Avogadro’s no. X no. of moles
• How many hydrogen atoms are there in 1.5mol of hydrogen atoms?
Moles of hydrogens → no. of atoms
No. of atoms= 6.0X 1023mol-1 X 1.5mol= 9.0X 1023atoms