1. What is Molecular Mass?

Molecular mass (or molecular weight) is the sum of the atomic masses of all the atoms in a molecule. It's expressed in atomic mass units (amu) or Daltons (Da).

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the formula:

Where:

• Each element's contribution is its atomic mass multiplied by the number of atoms in the molecule
• Atomic masses are based on standard values from the periodic table
• The sum gives the total molecular mass

3. Importance of Molecular Mass

Details: Molecular mass is crucial for stoichiometric calculations, preparing solutions with specific molarity, and determining empirical formulas from experimental data.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the chemical formula using standard notation (e.g., H2O for water, C6H12O6 for glucose). Case matters - element symbols start with uppercase letters.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What's the difference between molecular mass and molar mass?
A: Molecular mass is the mass of one molecule in amu, while molar mass is the mass of one mole of substance in grams. Numerically they're equal but units differ.

Q2: How accurate are these calculations?
A: The calculator uses standard atomic weights. For precise work, use isotope-specific masses if needed.

Q3: Can I use parentheses in formulas?
A: This basic version doesn't support parentheses. For complex formulas like Ca(OH)2, calculate each part separately.

Q4: What about hydrated compounds?
A: For hydrates (e.g., CuSO4·5H2O), include the water molecules in your formula input.

Q5: Why is my calculated value slightly different from published values?
A: Small differences may occur due to rounding or using different atomic weight data sets.