IB CHEMISTRY

1.4.1

The Mole Concept

Chemistry deals with particles so small we can't count them individually. We need a unit for a "huge pile" of them. That unit is the Mole.

Avogadro's Constant (\(N_A\))

\( 6.02 \times 10^{23} \)

Particles per mole

The Dozen Analogy

  • 1 Dozen= 12 items
  • 1 Mole= \(6.02 \times 10^{23}\) items

It's just a number. It can refer to atoms, molecules, ions, or electrons.

📐 Formula Triangle

NParticlesnMolesN_AConstant
Click a variable to hide it!
Select a variable on the triangle to see the formula.
Deep Think Concept

How big is a Mole?

If you had one mole of marshmallows, they would cover the entire surface of the Earth to a depth of 12 miles.

If you had one mole of pennies and spent $1 million every second, it would take you 19 billion years to spend it all.

Atoms are incredibly small!

Student Practice Set

1.
How many ATOMS are in 0.5 mol of Oxygen gas (\(O_2\))?