1. What is Molar Mass?

Molar mass is the mass of one mole of a substance, typically expressed in grams per mole (g/mol). It's calculated by summing the atomic masses of all atoms in a chemical formula.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the formula:

Where:

• \( MW \) — Molar mass (g/mol)
• Atomic masses — Standard atomic weights of elements
• Counts — Number of each atom in the formula

Explanation: The calculator parses the chemical formula and sums the atomic weights of all atoms in the molecule.

3. Importance of Molar Mass

Details: Molar mass is essential for stoichiometric calculations, preparing solutions, and converting between mass and moles in chemical reactions.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the chemical formula using standard notation (e.g., H2O for water, C6H12O6 for glucose). Case matters - element symbols start with uppercase letters.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What's the difference between molecular weight and molar mass?
A: While often used interchangeably, molecular weight refers to the mass of one molecule (in atomic mass units), while molar mass refers to the mass of one mole of substance (in grams per mole).

Q2: How are atomic weights determined?
A: Atomic weights are weighted averages of all naturally occurring isotopes of an element, based on their abundance.

Q3: Does the calculator handle parentheses in formulas?
A: This basic version doesn't handle complex formulas with parentheses or hydrates. For full functionality, use a more advanced calculator.

Q4: Why are atomic weights not whole numbers?
A: Most elements have multiple isotopes with different masses, so the atomic weight is an average that accounts for natural isotopic abundance.

Q5: Where can I find standard atomic weights?
A: The IUPAC publishes standard atomic weights which are updated periodically based on new measurements.