Understanding the Molecular Mass of Sucrose: A Comprehensive Guide

Sucrose is acommonly known molecule, often referred to as table sugar or cane sugar, and plays a significant role in various biological and industrial applications. This article aims to delve into the molecular mass of sucrose, providing a comprehensive understanding of its chemical composition and molar mass calculations.

The Chemical Composition of Sucrose

Sucrose is a disaccharide composed of two monosaccharides, namely, glucose and fructose, formed through a beta-glycosidic bond. The molecular formula of sucrose is given as C12H22O11. This formula signifies that each molecule of sucrose consists of 12 carbon atoms, 22 hydrogen atoms, and 11 oxygen atoms.

Calculating the Molar Mass of Sucrose

To calculate the molar mass of sucrose, we need to determine the atomic mass of each element in the molecule and then multiply it by the number of atoms of that element present in the molecule. The atomic masses of the elements can be found on the periodic table. For sucrose:

Carbon (C): 12.011 amu Oxygen (O): 15.999 amu

Using the formula, we can calculate the molar mass as follows:

Calculating the Contribution of Each Element

Contribution of carbon (C): (12 times 12.011 144.132) amu (or grams per mole, g/mol) Contribution of hydrogen (H): (22 times 1.008 22.176) amu (g/mol) Contribution of oxygen (O): (11 times 15.999 175.989) amu (g/mol)

Adding these contributions together, we get the total molar mass of sucrose:

(144.132 22.176 175.989 342.307) amu (or g/mol)

Thus, the molar mass of sucrose is approximately 342.3 g/mol.

Relevance and Application of Sucrose Molar Mass

Besides understanding the theoretical aspects, the molar mass of sucrose is also critical in practical applications. For instance, if we need to determine the mass of sucrose in a given number of molecules, we can use Avogadro’s constant, which states that one mole of any substance contains 6.022 x 1023 molecules.

Calculating the Mass of Sucrose Molecules

Let's say we have 1.45 x 1023 molecules of sucrose. First, we calculate the number of moles:

(frac{1.45 times 10^{23}}{6.022 times 10^{23}} 0.2408) moles

Given that 1 mole of sucrose weighs approximately 342.296 g, we can find the mass of 1.45 x 1023 molecules of sucrose:

(0.2408 text{ mol} times 342.296 text{ g/mol} 82.4) grams

This calculation is essential in various fields, including chemistry, biology, and food sciences, where precise measurements are critical.