BSC 2010C Chapter 2: Bio Notes - Molecular Mass
Document Summary
Molecular mass, also known as molecular weight, is a concept in chemistry and biology that is important for understanding the properties and behavior of molecules. Molecular mass refers to the sum of the atomic masses of the atoms in a molecule, expressed in atomic mass units (amu) or grams per mole (g/mol). To calculate the molecular mass of a molecule, one simply adds up the atomic masses of all the atoms in the molecule. For example, the molecular mass of water (h2o) can be calculated as follows: 2 hydrogen atoms x 1. 008 amu = 2. 016 amu 1 oxygen atom x 15. 999 amu = 15. 999 amu total molecular mass = 2. 016 amu + 15. 999 amu = 18. 015 amu. The molecular mass of a molecule is important for a number of reasons. First, it is directly related to the physical properties of the molecule, such as its boiling point, melting point, and solubility.
