A mole is Avogadro's number of particles: about 6.02×10^23. One carbon atom weighs 1.99×10^-23 grams, so one mole of carbon weighs 12 grams. This video shows how the math connects atomic mass to real mass.
Approximately 6.02 × 10^23
12 grams (relative mass expressed as mass of one mole)
1.99 × 10^-23 grams
The mass of one mole (Avogadro's number of particles) equals the substance's relative mass expressed in grams.
Hi there, Chalko. Here, we're going to have a little look at the mole concept. Now, the mole concept is probably one of the most important concepts in chemistry. It allows us to deal with the masses of materials and to understand the numbers of particles contained in those materials. Fundamentally, the word mole simply means a very, very large number of particles. Particles. A specifically large number, a number called Avogadro's number. This number is approximately 6.02 times 10 to the 23. That's 6 followed by 23 zeros. It's a huge number. And this number represents the number of particles that required to have the relative mass of any substance expressed in grams. If we take an example, a carbon atom has a relative mass of 12 grams. It's got an actual mass of 1.99 times 10 to the minus 23 grams, a number that's so small that we clearly could never, ever weigh it out or use it in any way. However, if we multiply the actual mass in grams of one carbon atom by that Avogadro's number, 6.02 times 10 to the 23, we get 12 grams. So the mass of one mole, in other words, an Avogadro number of particles, is always equal to the relative mass expressed in grams. And this goes for all other substances. If we wish to know the mass of one mole of particles of any substance, we simply need to find the relative mass of that substance and express it in grams.
