Question
Question: Why does \(1amu = 1g/mol\)?...
Why does 1amu=1g/mol?
Solution
We have to know that the mass of a single atom of an element [amu] is numerically equal to the mass [g] of 1 mol of that element, regardless of the element. A mole is defined as the amount of substance of a system that contains as many elementary entities as there are atoms in 12 g of carbon-12.
Complete answer:
We need to remember that Avogadro’s number is a proportion that relates molar mass on an atomic scale to physical mass on a human scale. Avogadro’s number is defined as the number of elementary particles (molecules, atoms, compounds, etc.) per mole of a substance. It is equal to 6.022×1023mol−1and is expressed as the symbol NA.
The mole is defined as the number of particles in 12g of carbon−12, known as 12C. So, we say that in one mole of carbon−12, the sample has a mass of 12g.
In other words,
Mass of carbon −12=12g/mol
Now, we also know that the mass of a single carbon-12 atom is exactly 12amu, as it is an isotope.
And so, Mass of carbon−12=12amu/atom
Combining, we have:
12amu/atom=12g/mol
⇒1amu/atom=1g/mol
Avogadro’s number is that the mass of one mole of a substance is equal to that substance’s molecular weight. For example, the mean molecular weight of water is 18.015 atomic mass units (amu), so one mole of water weighs 18.015 grams. This property simplifies many chemical computations.
Note:
We need to know that each ion, or atom, has a particular mass; similarly, each mole of a given pure substance also has a definite mass. The mass of one mole of atoms of a pure element in grams is equivalent to the atomic mass of that element in atomic mass units (amu) or in grams per mole (g/mol). Although mass can be expressed as both amu and g/mol, g/mol is the most useful system of units for laboratory chemistry.