So, what actually is a mole?

A mole is simply a unit of measurement of any substance that contains as many atoms as there are in 12 grams of Carbon-12.

 

Why Carbon-12?

Carbon-12 is the standard by which we compare the mass of any other molecule however; it was not the first option. Originally Hydrogen-1 was used but this was soon discarded as they realized that because of its low mass it was very inaccurate. This is because Hydrogen-1 had a mass of 1.007825- you can imagine how hard it would be to calculate precisely every time! Whereas, Carbon-12 has a mass of 12.000000 so this allows for more precise answers when working out the mass of other molecules.

PQ
Answered by Patrick Q. Chemistry tutor

3812 Views

See similar Chemistry GCSE tutors

Related Chemistry GCSE answers

All answers ▸

How many covalent bonds do nitrogen atoms make and why?


Describe the trend in reactivity as you go down group 2 metals?


A solution of sugar has a concentration of 3 g/dm3. What is the mass of sugar in 0.5 dm3 of solution?


What exactly is meant by 'balancing equations'?


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

© MyTutorWeb Ltd 2013–2025

Terms & Conditions|Privacy Policy
Cookie Preferences