Q.What is the ratio of molecules in 1 mole of NH3 and 1 mole of HNO3. (Ans. : 1:1)
Concept understanding — Mole Concept
The Intuition: Why Do We Need a "Mole"?
Imagine you run a bakery and need to buy eggs. You don't go to the shop and say "I want 12 eggs" — you say "I want a dozen eggs." The word dozen is just a convenient name for the number 12. It saves you from counting out every single egg.
Now think about chemistry. Atoms and molecules are unimaginably tiny. A single grain of sand contains about 1019 atoms. If you tried to count them one by one, you'd be counting for billions of years. So chemists needed a "dozen" — but for particles that are astronomically small. That's the mole.
Just as 1 dozen = 12 things, 1 mole = 6.022×1023 things. That number is called Avogadro's number (NA).
Why that specific number? Because it was chosen so that one mole of any substance has a mass in grams equal to its atomic/molecular mass in atomic mass units (u). For example:
- One atom of carbon-12 has mass 12 u. One mole of carbon-12 atoms has mass exactly 12 grams.
- One molecule of water (H2O) has mass 18 u. One mole of water molecules has mass exactly 18 grams.
This is the bridge between the invisible atomic world and the measurable laboratory world.
The Precise Definition
One mole is the amount of a substance that contains exactly 6.02214076×1023 elementary entities (atoms, molecules, ions, electrons, etc.). This number is Avogadro's constant, NA.
The mole is a counting unit, like a dozen or a gross. It tells you how many particles you have, not how heavy they are.
The Three Pillars of the Mole Concept
The mole connects three measurable quantities: mass, number of particles, and volume of a gas. Here's how.
1. Mass ↔ Moles ↔ Number of Particles
The molar mass (M) of a substance is the mass of one mole of it, in grams per mole (g/mol).
Number of moles (n)=Molar mass (g/mol)Mass of substance (g)
Number of particles=n×NA=MMass×6.022×1023
Example: How many atoms are in 24 g of carbon?
Molar mass of carbon = 12 g/mol.
n=1224=2 moles.
Number of atoms = 2×6.022×1023=1.2044×1024 atoms.
Always check: if you have a mass in grams, divide by the molar mass to get moles. Then multiply by NA to get particles.
2. Volume of a Gas ↔ Moles
For gases, there's a special shortcut. At Standard Temperature and Pressure (STP) — 0°C and 1 atm pressure — one mole of any gas occupies 22.4 litres. This is called the molar volume.
Number of moles (n)=22.4 L/molVolume of gas at STP (L)
This 22.4 L/mol applies only at STP. If temperature or pressure changes, the volume changes. Use the ideal gas law (PV=nRT) for non-STP conditions.
Example: What is the volume of 2 moles of oxygen gas at STP?
Volume = 2×22.4=44.8 litres.
Putting It All Together: The Mole Triangle
You can visualise the relationships as a triangle:
Mass (g)÷MMoles×NAParticles
Volume of gas at STP (L)÷22.4Moles
Any problem in mole concept is just a matter of converting along these paths. You never need to memorise a hundred formulas — just these three conversions.
A Worked Example
Problem: How many molecules are present in 36 g of water? Also, what volume would this water vapour occupy at STP?
Step 1: Find moles of water.
Molar mass of H2O = 2×1+16=18 g/mol.
n=1836=2 moles.
Step 2: Find number of molecules.
Number = 2×6.022×1023=1.2044×1024 molecules.
Step 3: Find volume at STP (as vapour).
Volume = 2×22.4=44.8 litres.
Final answer: 1.2044×1024 molecules; 44.8 L at STP.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
- Don't confuse mass with moles. Mass is in grams; moles is a count. You must divide by molar mass to go from mass to moles.
- Avogadro's number applies to particles, not grams. 6.022×1023 is a count, not a mass.
- Molar volume (22.4 L) works only for gases at STP. Not for solids or liquids. Not for gases at room temperature.
- Always specify the particle. "1 mole of oxygen" is ambiguous — is it O atoms (16 g) or O2 molecules (32 g)? Be precise.
The mole concept is the single most important tool in stoichiometry. Master it, and you unlock the ability to count the uncountable.
The mole concept is one of the highest-weightage topics across the entire NCERT Class 11 Chemistry curriculum, and is searched constantly as "mole concept numericals class 11 chemistry" or "mole concept important questions for JEE Main and NEET", since nearly every stoichiometry problem in competitive exams builds on it.
Equal moles of any two substances always contain equal numbers of molecules.
1:1
Step 1. By the definition of the mole, 1 mole of ANY substance contains exactly 6.022 x 10^23 (Avogadro's number) of that substance's particles, regardless of what the substance's formula is.
Step 2. So 1 mole of NH3 contains 6.022 x 10^23 molecules of NH3, and 1 mole of HNO3 also contains 6.022 x 10^23 molecules of HNO3.
Step 3. The ratio of the number of molecules is therefore 6.022 x 10^23 : 6.022 x 10^23 = 1:1.
1:1
Recall that any '1 mole' quantity, regardless of the substance, always contains the same fixed number of particles (Avogadro's constant).
- Trying to use the different molecular formulas of NH3 and HNO3 to compute a ratio, when the number of MOLECULES per mole never depends on the formula's complexity.
- One dozen means how many items ? 2. One gross means how many items ?
Showing the 12 most recent of 45 on this concept.
- CBSE 2026Set sz1 markMCQQ.Select the correct one: The number of molecules in 89.6 litre of a gas at NTP are:(a) 6.023 x 10^23(b) 2 x 6.023 x 10^23(c) 3 x 6.023 x 10^23(d) 4 x 6.023 x 10^23
›Reveal solutionSolution
Moles = Volume at NTP / 22.4 L mol^-1; here that gives 4 moles, so molecules = 4 x 6.023 x 10^23.
At NTP (Normal Temperature and Pressure, taken as 0 degC and 1 atm), the molar volume of any ideal gas is 22.4 L/mol (Avogadro's law consequence).
Number of moles, n = Given volume / Molar volume at NTP
n = 89.6 L / 22.4 L mol^-1 = 4 mol
Number of molecules = n x N_A = 4 x 6.023 x 10^23
(where N_A = 6.023 x 10^23 mol^-1 is Avogadro's number).
✓Final answerThe correct option is (d) 4 x 6.023 x 10^23 molecules.
- CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ."At the same temperature and pressure, equal volumes of all gases contain equal number of molecules." This statement is based on which law ?(a) Berzelius' law(b) Avogadro's hypothesis(c) Graham's law(d) Charles' law
›Reveal solutionSolution
This is Avogadro's hypothesis (law).
Avogadro (1811) proposed that equal volumes of all gases, at the same temperature and pressure, contain equal numbers of molecules. This explained Gay-Lussac's law of combining volumes and helped establish molecular formulae of gases.
✓Final answer(B) Avogadro's hypothesis.
- CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.A group of 6.022 × 10^23 particles is called(a) Mole(b) Atomic mass unit(c) Graham's law(d) Charles' law
›Reveal solutionSolution
6.022 × 10^23 particles = 1 mole.
The mole is the SI unit for amount of substance. One mole of any species contains exactly Avogadro's number of particles, 6.022 × 10^23. So 6.022 × 10^23 atoms, molecules or ions constitute one mole.
✓Final answer(A) Mole.
- CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The total number of moles in 720 gm of water is(a) 4(b) 10(c) 40(d) 72
›Reveal solutionSolution
720 g of water = 720/18 = 40 moles.
Molar mass of water (H2O) = 2(1) + 16 = 18 g/mol.
Number of moles = mass / molar mass = 720 / 18 = 40 moles.
✓Final answer(C) 40.
- CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The necessary volume of oxygen that should be required to convert 10 ml of SO2 to SO3 by complete oxidation is(a) 10 ml(b) 20 ml(c) 30 ml(d) 5 ml
›Reveal solutionSolution
2SO2 + O2 → 2SO3, so 10 mL SO2 needs 5 mL O2.
Balanced reaction: 2SO2(g) + O2(g) → 2SO3(g). By Gay-Lussac's law of combining volumes, the volume ratio equals the mole ratio: 2 volumes SO2 : 1 volume O2.
So O2 needed = 10 mL × (1/2) = 5 mL.
✓Final answer(D) 5 mL.
- CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The volume of 4.4 gm of CO2 at standard temperature and pressure is(a) 22.4 L(b) 11.2 L(c) 5.6 L(d) 2.24 L
›Reveal solutionSolution
4.4 g CO2 = 0.1 mol → 2.24 L at STP.
Molar mass of CO2 = 12 + 2(16) = 44 g/mol.
Moles = 4.4 / 44 = 0.1 mol.
At STP one mole of a gas occupies 22.4 L, so volume = 0.1 × 22.4 = 2.24 L.
✓Final answer(D) 2.24 L.
- CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.Candela is the S.I. unit of(a) a) Luminous intensity(b) b) Thermodynamic temperature(c) c) Amount of substance(d) d) Electric current
›Reveal solutionSolution
[!TLDR]
a) Luminous intensity
Why
Candela (cd) is the SI base unit of luminous intensity.
[!ANSWER]
a) Luminous intensity
- CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.What is the SI unit of the amount of chemical substance?(a) kilogram(b) gram(c) mole(d) tonne
›Reveal solutionSolution
The SI unit for amount of substance is the mole (symbol mol).
The mole is defined as the amount of substance that contains as many elementary entities (atoms, molecules, ions, etc.) as there are atoms in exactly 12 g of carbon-12, i.e. Avogadro's number (6.022 x 10^23) of entities. Kilogram, gram and tonne are units of mass, not amount of substance.
✓Final answer(C) mole.
- CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.Which of the following has the largest number of atoms?(a) 0.5 g atom of Cu(b) 0.635 g of Cu(c) 0.25 mole of Cu atom(d) 1 g of Cu
›Reveal solutionSolution
0.5 g atom of Cu contains the most atoms (0.5 mol x N_A).
Convert each option into moles of Cu atoms:
- (a) 0.5 g atom of Cu = 0.5 mol Cu atoms = 0.5 x 6.022x10^23 = 3.011x10^23 atoms.
- (b) 0.635 g Cu / 63.5 g mol^-1 = 0.01 mol = 6.02x10^21 atoms.
- (c) 0.25 mol Cu atoms = 0.25 x 6.022x10^23 = 1.5055x10^23 atoms.
- (d) 1 g Cu / 63.5 g mol^-1 = 0.01575 mol = 9.48x10^21 atoms.
Comparing, option (a) gives the largest number of atoms.
✓Final answer(A) 0.5 g atom of Cu.
- CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.How much of NaOH is required to neutralise 1500 cc of 0.1 N HCl?(a) 40 g(b) 4 g(c) 6 g(d) 60 g
›Reveal solutionSolution
6 g of NaOH exactly neutralises 1500 mL of 0.1 N HCl.
Equivalents of HCl = Normality x Volume(L) = 0.1 x 1.5 = 0.15 equivalents.
At neutralisation, equivalents of NaOH required = 0.15.
Equivalent weight of NaOH = 40 g/equiv (since it furnishes 1 OH- per formula unit).
Mass of NaOH = 0.15 x 40 = 6 g.
✓Final answer(C) 6 g.
- CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.The amount of CO2 that could be produced when one mole of carbon is burnt in air, is(a) 22 g(b) 50 g(c) 44 g(d) 56 g
›Reveal solutionSolution
C + O2 -> CO2 is a 1:1 mole reaction, so 1 mole of carbon gives exactly 1 mole (44 g) of CO2.
Write the balanced combustion equation for carbon burning completely in air (excess oxygen):
C(s) + O2(g) -> CO2(g)
The stoichiometric coefficients show a 1:1:1 mole ratio between C, O2, and CO2. So 1 mole of carbon reacts with 1 mole of O2 to give exactly 1 mole of CO2.
Molar mass of CO2 = 12 (C) + 2 x 16 (O) = 12 + 32 = 44 g/mol
Since 1 mole of CO2 is produced, its mass = 1 mol x 44 g/mol = 44 g.
✓Final answer(c) 44 g of CO2 is produced when 1 mole of carbon is completely burnt in air.
- CBSE 2025Set sz1 markMCQQ.Select the correct one: Which of the following contours (contains) maximum number of atoms?(a) 6.023 x 10^21 molecules of CO2(b) 22.4 L of CO2 at STP(c) 0.44 g of CO2(d) None of these
›Reveal solutionSolution
22.4 L of CO2 at STP = 1 mole of CO2 = 3 moles of atoms, the largest amount among the four options.
Each CO2 molecule has 3 atoms (1 C + 2 O), so moles of atoms = 3 x moles of CO2.
(A) 6.023 x 10^21 molecules of CO2 = 6.023x10^21 / 6.022x10^23 = 0.01 mol CO2 -> 0.03 mol atoms.
(B) 22.4 L of CO2 at STP = 1 mol of gas (since 1 mole of any ideal gas occupies 22.4 L at STP) -> 1 mol CO2 -> 3 mol atoms.
(C) 0.44 g of CO2: molar mass of CO2 = 44 g/mol, so 0.44 g = 0.01 mol CO2 -> 0.03 mol atoms.
Comparing 0.03 mol (A), 3 mol (B), and 0.03 mol (C), option (B) has 100 times more atoms than (A) or (C).
✓Final answer(B) 22.4 L of CO2 at STP contains the maximum number of atoms — it equals 1 full mole of CO2 (3 mol of atoms), far more than options (A) and (C).
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