Form 4 Chemistry Chapter 3

Relative Atomic Mass & Relative Molecular Mass

1. The relative atomic mass of an element is defined as the number of times
one atom of the element is heavier than one-twelfth of the mass of a
carbon-12 atom.
2. For example, a sodium atom is 23 times heavier than one-twelfth of the
mass of one carbon-12 atom. Thus the relative atomic mass of sodium is
23.
3. The relative molecular mass of a compound is defined as the number of
times one molecule of the compound is heavier than one-twelfth of the
mass of a carbon-12 atom.
Example:
Three cobalt atoms have the same mass as fifteen carbon atoms.
Determine the relative atomic mass of cobalt (RAM: C, 12)

The mass of a rutherfodium (Rf) atom is equal to the sum of three sodium
atoms and six sulphur atoms. What is the relative atomic mass of
rutherfordium? (RAM: Na, 23; S,32)

Adrenaline is produced by the adrenal gland. Adrenaline has the formula

C9H12NOx. If its relative molecular mass is 283, determine the value of x.
Then write the molecular formula of adrenaline. (RAM: H, 1; C, 12; N,
14; O, 16)

Form 4 Chemistry Chapter 3

Definition of the Mole

1. One mole is the amount of substance which contains the same number
of particles as there are in 12 grams of carbon-12.
2. The number of atoms in 12 grams of carbon-12 is 6.02 x 1023. This
number is called Avogadros number (NA).
3. For elements, the particles are atoms. For example, 1 mol of gold
contains 6.02 x 1023 gold atoms.
4. For ionic compounds, the particles are ions. For example 1 mol of
magnesium ions contains 6.02 x 1023 Mg2+ ions. 1 mole of potassium
iodide, KI contains 6.02 x 1023 K+ and 6.02 x 1023 I- ions. For covalent
compounds, the particles are molecules. For example, 1 mol of carbon
dioxide contains 6.02 x 1023 CO2 molecules.
Conversion of the Number of Moles to the Number of Particles and
Vice Versa
Number of particles = number of mole x NA
Calculate the number of particles in
a) 0.75 of aluminium atoms, Al
b) 1.2 mol of chloride ions
c) 0.07 mol of carbon dioxide molecules

Form 4 Chemistry Chapter 3

Calculate the number of atoms in

a) 0.012 mol of ethane gas, C2H6
b) 1.1 mol of sulphur trioxide, SO3

Calculate the number of moles of the following substances:

a) 6 x 1022 sodium ions
b) 1.8 x 1024 H2S molecules

Relationship between the numbers of moles of a Substance and Its

Mass
1. The mass of a substance that contains one mole of the substance is called
the molar mass.
Number of mole x molar mass = mass of substances
2. Example, one mole of carbon is 12g. 1 mole of aluminium is 27g. 0.5
mole of carbon will be 6g.

Form 4 Chemistry Chapter 3

Calculate the mass of each of the following substances:

a) 1.25 mol of helium gas, He
b) 2/5 mol of cobalt, Co
c) 0.15 mol of hydrated copper (II) sulphate, CuSO4.5H2O
[Relative atomic mass: H, 1; He, 4; O, 16; S, 32; Co, 59; Cu, 64]

Calculate the number of moles of the following substances:

a) 2.8g of iron
b) 4.05g of nicotine, C10H14N2
c) 1.49g of ammonium phosphate, (NH4)3PO4
d) 2.3g of ethanol, C2H5OH
[Relative atomic mass: H, 1; C, 12; N, 14; O, 16; P, 31; Fe, 56]

Calculate the mass of the following substances:

a) 3 x 1023 titanium atoms
b) 1.2 x 1024 argon atoms
c) 7.5 x 1022 citric acid, C12H16O14
[Relative atom mass; H, 1; C, 12; O, 16; Ar, 40; Ti, 48]

Form 4 Chemistry Chapter 3

Relationship between the Number of Moles of a Gas and Its Volume

1. The volume of gas depends on temperature and pressure.
2. At the given temperature and pressure, equal volume of gases contain the
same number of particles. For example, at room temperature of pressure,
24dm3 of carbon dioxide and 24dm3 of oxygen contain same amount of
particles which are 6.02 x 1023.
3. It is found that one mole of any gas at room temperature (25oC) and
pressure of 1 atmosphere occupies a volume of 24 dm3.
4. At standard temperature and pressure (s.t.p), that is, at a temperature of 0
o

C and pressure of 1 atmosphere, one mole of any gas occupies a volume

of 22.4 dm3
5. The volume occupied by one mole of any gas is called the molar volume.
Volume of gas = Molar volume x number of mole

Calculate the volume of 0.55 mol of oxygen gas at room temperature and
pressure.

Calculate the number of moles of 672 cm3 of carbon dioxide gas at s.t.p

Calculate the volume occupied by 1.4g pf ethane gas, C2H4 at room

temperature and pressure. [Relative atomic mass: H, 1; C, 12]

Form 4 Chemistry Chapter 3

Calculate the mass of each of the following gases at standard temperature

and pressure:
a) 16.8dm3 of methane, CH4
b) 6720 cm3 of carbon monoxide gas, CO
[Relative atomic mass: H, 1; C, 12; O, 16]

Chemical Formulae
1. A chemical formula is used to represent a chemical compound.
2. The chemical formula shows
a) The elements, denoted by their symbols, present in the compound
b) The relative numbers, indicated by subscripts written after the
symbols, of each element present in the compound.
How to Write the Chemical Formula of Ionic Compound
1. The chemical formula of an ionic compound can be written of the charge
of the cation and the anion forming the ionic compound are known.
Charge

+1

Cation
Sodium ion

Symbol
Na+

Potassium ion

K+

Lithium ion

Li+

Silver ion

Ag+

Hydrogen ion

H+

Ammonium ion

NH4+

Magnesium ion

Mg2+

Calcium ion

Ca2+

Zinc ion

Zn2+

Form 4 Chemistry Chapter 3

+2

+3

Charge

-1

-2

Iron (II) ion

Fe2+

Copper (II) ion

Cu2+

Manganese (II) ion.

Mn2+

Lead (II) ion

Pb2+

Nickel (II) ion

Iron (III) ion

Ni2+
Fe3+

Aluminium ion

Al3+

Chromium (III) ion

Cr3+

Anion
Fluoride ion

Symbol
F-

Chloride ion

Cl-

Bromide ion

Br-

Iodide ion

I-

Hydroxide ion

OH-

Nitrite ion

NO2-

Nitrate ion

NO3-

Bicarbonate ion

HCO3-

Permanganate ion
Oxide ion

MnO4O2-

Sulphide ion

S2-

Sulphate ion

SO42-

Sulphite ion

SO32-

Carbonate ion

CO32-

Thiosulphate ion

S2O32-

Chromate (VI) ion

CrO42-

Dichromate (VI) ion

Cr2O72-

Form 4 Chemistry Chapter 3

-3

Phosphide ion

P3-

Phosphate ion

PO43-

Nitride ion

N3-

2. A chemical compound is always electrically neutral, the total positive

charge of the cation must be equal to the total negative charge of anion.
3. To write the chemical formula of an ionic compound, the following steps
can be used:
a) Write the formulae of the ions involved in forming the compound and
their charges.
b) Then, balance the positive and negative charges. This can be done by
writing the numerical charge of the cation next to the anion as subscript
and the numerical charge of the anion next to the cation as the
subscript.
c) Finally write the chemical formula of the ionic compound without the
charges.
4. Generally, if the ionic compound is formed by ion Xm+ and Yn-, then the
chemical formula of the compound is XnYm.
5. Try the example below:
Magnesium sulphate
Sodium thiosulphate
Calcium chloride
Potassium nitrate
Silver sulphate
Iron (II) carbonate
Copper nitrate
Ammonium bromide
Hydrogen iodide
Lead (II) oxide
8

Form 4 Chemistry Chapter 3

Chromium (III) carbonate

Potassium permanganate
Sodium oxide
Iron (III) oxide