The molecular mass of oxygen is 32.00 grams per mole.
Understanding Molecular Mass
The molecular mass represents the mass of one mole of a substance. A mole is a fundamental unit in chemistry, representing 6.022 x 1023 (Avogadro's number) particles of a substance. For oxygen (O₂), the molecule consists of two oxygen atoms.
Calculating the Molecular Mass of Oxygen
- Identify the element: We are dealing with oxygen (O).
- Find the atomic mass: The atomic mass of oxygen (O) is approximately 16.00 atomic mass units (amu). You can find this value on a periodic table.
- Consider the molecular formula: Oxygen exists as a diatomic molecule (O₂), meaning each molecule contains two oxygen atoms.
- Calculate the molecular mass: Multiply the atomic mass of oxygen by the number of atoms in the molecule: 16.00 amu/atom * 2 atoms = 32.00 amu. Since amu is numerically equivalent to grams per mole (g/mol), the molecular mass of oxygen is 32.00 g/mol.
Examples from References
- YouTube Video: The video explicitly states a molar mass of 32.00 grams per mole for oxygen.
- Homework.Study.com: While stating the atomic mass of oxygen as 16 g/mol, it implies the molecular mass would be double that for O₂.
- Quora: Confirms the molar mass of O₂ as 15.9994 g/mol (per atom) * 2 = 31.9988 g/mol, essentially 32 g/mol.
- Byjus.com: Calculates the mass of a single O₂ molecule as 5.32 x 10-23 g, but this is a different representation of the same concept; multiplying this by Avogadro's number gives you the molar mass.
- Other sources: Multiple other references confirm the 16 g/mol atomic mass of oxygen and implicitly or explicitly state the 32 g/mol molecular mass of O₂.
