Why do chemists prefer using the mole instead of counting individual particles?

• A. Because the mole allows chemists to work with manageable quantities of substances by relating mass to number of particles.
• B. Because counting individual particles is more accurate than using the mole.
• C. Because the mole is the smallest unit of matter.
• D. Because the mole represents the volume of a substance.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that individual atoms, molecules, or particles are extremely small and numerous, making it impractical to count them one by one in a laboratory setting.
2. Recognize that the mole is a counting unit in chemistry, similar to a dozen, but much larger, defined as exactly \$6.022 \times 10^{23}$ particles (Avogadro's number).
3. Know that the mole links the microscopic world (number of particles) to the macroscopic world (mass of a substance), allowing chemists to measure substances by weighing them.
4. Realize that using the mole allows chemists to convert between mass and number of particles using the molar mass, which is the mass of one mole of a substance expressed in grams per mole (\(\mathrm{g/mol}\)).
5. Conclude that chemists prefer the mole because it provides a manageable and practical way to quantify substances, relating measurable mass to an enormous number of particles without counting each particle individually.