How is molar mass determined?

Molar mass is determined by summing the masses of the component atoms in a molecule. Each element in the periodic table has an associated atomic mass, and this value reflects the mass of a single atom of that element, typically measured in atomic mass units (amu). To find the molar mass, you take the atomic mass of each element in the molecule and multiply it by the number of times that element appears in the formula. For example, in water (H₂O), you would take the atomic mass of hydrogen, multiply it by 2, and add the atomic mass of oxygen to get the molar mass of water.

This method accurately reflects the mass of one mole of a substance, expressed in grams per mole (g/mol), making it central to stoichiometric calculations in chemistry. Understanding molar mass is essential for converting between the mass of a substance and the number of moles, which is key in various chemical computations.