Question

a. What is the definition of a mole? b. What is the abbreviation for mole? c. How many particles are in one mole? d. What name is given to the number of particles in a mole?

Short answer

A mole is a unit that represents 6.02214076 × 10^23 particles. Its abbreviation is 'mol'. The number of particles in a mole is called Avogadro's number.

Step-by-step solution

Define a mole

A mole is a unit of measurement used in chemistry to express amounts of a chemical substance. Specifically, it is the amount of substance that contains as many elementary particles, such as atoms, molecules, ions, or electrons, as there are atoms in 12 grams of pure carbon-12.

Abbreviation for mole

The abbreviation for mole is 'mol'.

Number of particles in one mole

One mole contains exactly 6.02214076 × 10^23 elementary particles.

Name of the number of particles in a mole

The number of particles in a mole is called Avogadro's number.

Key concepts

mole definition

In chemistry, a mole is a way to count particles in a substance, just like a dozen counts eggs. It allows chemists to work with the massive number of atoms and molecules involved in chemical reactions by grouping them into a manageable quantity. Specifically, one mole is the amount of substance that has as many elementary particles, such as atoms, molecules, ions, or electrons, as there are in 12 grams of carbon-12. This makes it easier to express and calculate mass and volume at a microscopic level.
Moles are abbreviated as 'mol', which is a simple way to write and refer to this unit in chemical equations and notes.

Avogadro's number

One of the key components of understanding moles is Avogadro's number. This number specifies the exact quantity of elementary particles in a mole. Each mole of any substance contains exactly 6.02214076 × 10^23 particles. This specific value is known as Avogadro's number.

Avogadro's number bridges the gap between the microscopic world of atoms and molecules and the macroscopic world that can be observed and measured. With this number, chemists can calculate the scales they need when dealing with chemical reactions and substances.
For example, if one mole of water (H2O) has Avogadro's number of water molecules, then we can use this number to determine the mass of water or how it will react chemically with other substances.

elementary particles

In the context of moles and Avogadro's number, elementary particles refer to the smallest units of matter that maintain the characteristics of the substance. These include:

• Atoms: The basic units of matter, such as hydrogen or oxygen atoms.
• Molecules: Groups of atoms bonded together, like water (H2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2).
• Ions: Atoms or molecules that have lost or gained electrons, such as sodium ions (Na+) or chloride ions (Cl-).
• Electrons: Negatively charged particles that orbit the nucleus of an atom.

When we talk about a mole of a substance, we are referring to a mole of these particles. For instance, one mole of sodium chloride (table salt) contains Avogadro's number of sodium ions and chlorine ions combined.
This concept is fundamental to understanding chemistry as it allows scientists and students to calculate and predict how substances will behave in a reaction and helps connect theoretical chemistry with practical experiments.