What is the Difference Between Atomic Mass and Molecular Weight?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚The main difference between atomic mass and molecular weight lies in the scope of their definitions:
- Atomic Mass: This refers to the weighted average of the masses of all isotopes of an element. It is a property of individual atoms and takes into account the isotopic mixture of an element. Atomic mass is usually expressed in units of atomic mass units (u).
- Molecular Weight: This is the sum of the masses of the atoms in a molecule. It is a property of molecules and is related to the combined mass of the atoms within a molecule. Molecular weight is often expressed in grams per mole (g/mol).
In summary, atomic mass pertains to individual atoms, while molecular weight relates to the combined mass of the atoms within a molecule.
On this pageWhat is the Difference Between Atomic Mass and Molecular Weight? Comparative Table: Atomic Mass vs Molecular Weight
Comparative Table: Atomic Mass vs Molecular Weight
The main difference between atomic mass and molecular weight is that atomic mass refers to the mass of a single atom, while molecular weight pertains to the combined mass of the atoms within a molecule. Here is a table highlighting the differences between atomic mass and molecular weight:
| Atomic Mass | Molecular Weight |
|---|---|
| Refers to the mass of a single atom | Refers to the combined mass of the atoms within a molecule |
| Expressed in unified atomic mass units (u) | Expressed in grams per mole (g/mol) |
| Common units: Da (Dalton) or atomic mass unit (amu) | Common units: g/mol (grams per mole) |
| Example: Standard atomic weight of carbon (C) is 12.01 g/mol | Example: Molar mass of C2H5OH (ethanol) calculated by adding the molar masses of each element: 12.01 g/mol (2 C atoms) + 6.048 g/mol (6 H atoms) + 16.00 g/mol (1 O atom) |
In summary, atomic mass is the mass of a single atom, while molecular weight is the total mass of a molecule made up of multiple atoms.
Read more:
- Atomic Weight vs Atomic Mass
- Atomic Mass vs Molar Mass
- Atomic Weight vs Mass Number
- Exact Mass vs Molecular Weight
- Molar Mass vs Molecular Mass
- Mass Number vs Atomic Mass
- Atomic Mass Unit vs Atomic Mass
- Atomic Mass vs Average Atomic Mass
- Atomic Number vs Atomic Weight
- Gram Atomic Mass vs Gram Molecular Mass
- Mass vs Molar Mass
- Formula Weight vs Molecular Weight
- Atomic Number vs Mass Number
- Formula Unit Mass vs Molecular Mass
- Atomic vs Molecular Elements
- Number Average vs Weight Average Molecular Weight
- Atom vs Molecule
- Formula Mass vs Molar Mass
- Atomic Spectroscopy vs Molecular Spectroscopy