Atoms in a Mole

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Number of Atoms in a Mole
The number of atoms in a mole of atoms in 6.022×10^23.

The number of atoms in a mole of atoms is Avogadro’s number, which is exactly 6.02214076 × 1023. Commonly, it’s rounded off to 6.022 × 1023 for most calculations, with four significant figures.

The Importance of a Consistent Number in Chemistry

In the realm of chemistry, precision and consistency are paramount. By having an exact, universally accepted value for Avogadro’s number, chemists around the world ensure their measurements and calculations are consistent. This uniformity is crucial for replicating experiments, standardizing reactions, and facilitating global scientific collaboration.

The Universal Nature of Avogadro’s Number

The beauty of Avogadro’s number is that it’s universal. Whether you’re considering a mole of hydrogen atoms (H) or a mole of iron atoms (Fe), the number of atoms is the same: 6.02214076 × 1023.

However, it’s essential to differentiate between atoms and molecules. Taking hydrogen as an example, one mole of hydrogen molecules (H2) contains 6.02214076 × 1023 molecules of H2. Since each molecule has two hydrogen atoms, this equates to 2 × 6.02214076 × 1023 hydrogen atoms. In contrast, a mole of iron (or any monatomic element) is 6.02214076 × 1023 iron atoms.

Calculating Number of Atoms in a Mole: Moles to Atoms Conversion

To convert from moles to atoms, simply multiply the number of moles by Avogadro’s number.

Example: Convert 2 moles of iron (Fe) to the number of atoms.

Number of atoms = number of moles x Avogadro’s number
Number of atoms = 2 moles x 6.02214076 × 1023 atoms/mole ≈ 1.2044 × 1024 atoms

Another way of calculating the number of atoms is through a two-step process: moles to grams and then grams to atoms.

This method requires the atomic mass of an element, which you get from the periodic table. For iron (Fe), its molar mass is about 55.845 g/mol.

First, convert moles to grams: 2 moles of Fe x 55.845 g/mol = 111.69 g

Then, using Avogadro’s number, convert grams to atoms:

111.69 g x 6.02214076 ×1023 atoms / 55.845 g = 1.2044 × 1024 atoms

Refining the Number of Atoms in a Mole

The number of atoms in mole is a defined value now, but it has had slightly different values in the past. This is because the value of Avogadro’s number has been refined as measurement techniques have improved. Here’s a brief history:

  • 1811: Amedeo Avogadro proposes the idea that equal volumes of gases contain the same number of particles.
  • 19th Century: Jöns Jacob Berzelius proposes basing Avogadro’s number on the mass of oxygen. Eventually, scientists use oxygen-16, giving a value of approximately 6.022 × 1023.
  • 1926: Nobel Prize-winning French physicist Jean Perrin experimentally determines a value of 6.022 × 1023.
  • 1960s: The mole gets redefined as the amount of substance of a system which contains as the number of atoms in 0.012 kilograms of carbon-12. Experimental determination leads to a value of 6.0221367 × 1023.
  • 1986: The CODATA (Committee on Data for Science and Technology) lists the accepted value as 6.022045 × 1023.
  • 2011: The value gets refined as 6.02214078(18) × 1023, based on counting atoms in a crystal.
  • 2019: Exact definition set at 6.02214076 × 1023.

References

  • Andreas, Birk; et al. (2011). “Determination of the Avogadro Constant by Counting the Atoms in a 28Si Crystal”. Physical Review Letters. 106 (3): 30801. doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.106.030801
  • Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (2019). The International System of Units (SI) (9th ed.).
  • Mosher, Michael; Kelter, Paul (2023): An Introduction to Chemistry (2nd ed.). Springer Nature. ISBN 9783030902674.
  • Yunus A. Çengel; Boles, Michael A. (2002). Thermodynamics: An Engineering Approach (8th ed.). TN: McGraw Hill. ISBN 9780073398174.