How many MOLECULES of carbon dioxide are present in 2.71 moles of this compound ?

Answer 1

Hi, Natalie,

By definition, 1 mole of ANYTHING is 6.02 x 10²³.

A mole is a counting unit, just like a thousand, dozen, light year, etc. It was implemented by scientists and publishers, who were sick and tired of writing or printing such large numbers. Yes, they could have simply stuck with the traditional terminology of scientific notation, but the number designated by a mole is special for scientists. 1 mole of any atom will have a mass identical to the atomic mass value of that atom. For example, 1 mole of He atoms, with an atomic mass of 4.0AMU (atomic mass units) will ALSO have a mass of 4.0 grams(!). [I added the exclamation mark since I am still impressed with this revelation].

That same correlation holds for all elements and compounds. The AMU of a compound is made up of the sum of the individual atoms that make up that compound.

This is a long explanation just to get to the answer, but it may help understand, and remember, how and why the term mole is used in science (all disciplines). And offices: I stole 1 mole of paperclips means I took 6.02 x 10²³ paperclips. I could have taken 2 moles, (12.06 x 10²³), but my pockets were too full.

One day I exhaled 2.71 moles of carbon dioxide (CO2) in a single breath. With the intent of impressing my girlfriend I converted this simple number into MOLECULES of CO2 by multiplying 2.71 moles times 6.02 x 10²³ (CO2 molecules/mole):

(2.71 moles CO2)*(6.02 x 10²³ (CO2 molecules/mole)) =

1.63 x 10²³ CO2 molecules.

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Note: I had hoped to have an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records, but it turns out that 1.63 x 10²³ CO2 molecules occupy 6.07 liters, according to the gas laws. That's about the entire volume of my lungs. I'm going to see a doctor, instead.