Why do chemists use moles as a unit in chemical calculations?

• A. To count atoms, molecules, or ions in a measurable amount of substance
• B. To measure the volume of a liquid directly
• C. To determine the color of a compound
• D. To calculate the boiling point of a substance

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that atoms, molecules, and ions are extremely small and numerous, making it impractical to count them individually in chemical reactions.
2. Recognize that the mole is a unit that chemists use to represent a specific number of particles, exactly \$6.022 \times 10^{23}$ entities, known as Avogadro's number.
3. Know that using moles allows chemists to relate the mass of a substance to the number of particles it contains, enabling precise and manageable calculations.
4. Realize that this unit helps in converting between the microscopic scale (atoms, molecules) and the macroscopic scale (grams, liters) used in the laboratory.
5. Therefore, chemists use moles primarily to count atoms, molecules, or ions in a measurable amount of substance, facilitating accurate chemical calculations.