Molar Mass
Molar mass is a crucial concept in chemistry, as it quantifies the mass of one mole of a substance and is expressed in grams per mole (g/mol). The molar mass of an element corresponds directly to its atomic mass in grams, while the molar mass of a compound is calculated by summing the atomic masses of all the atoms present in its molecular formula.
For example:
- Molar mass of H₂O (water): The calculation involves 2 hydrogen atoms (1 g each) and 1 oxygen atom (16 g), yielding
2 * 1 + 16 = 18 g/mol.
- Molar mass of CO₂ (carbon dioxide): This includes 1 carbon atom (12 g) and 2 oxygen atoms (16 g each), so
12 + (2 * 16) = 44 g/mol.
Understanding molar mass is fundamental for stoichiometric calculations and translates chemical quantities into measurable amounts in laboratory settings, pharmaceutical dosages, and industrial applications.