Mom-----my teacher says atoms are small,
With naked eye you cant see them at all,
What is the mass of single atom! in grams ,I wonder?
Am I suppose, to remember this number?
Can you make any guess or suggestion , my mom!
It is very very small that’s what I know my son!
Chemist use amu as unit to measure mass of atom,
Exactly 12 amu , is mass of one C-12 atom ,
A wonderful scientific fact my mom.!
One thing chemist practice in,
Chemical calculations, you know my son!
A counted amount , is substituted ,
For substance mass , in chemical calculation, my mom!
The same can be practiced in kitchen , my son!
Do You know, a counted amount is called a mole !
A mole is the number of carbon-12 atoms,
In exactly 12 grams of carbon-12 , my mom!
The value of a mole is a huge number,
6.02 x 1023 : also called an Avogadros number,
23 rd October of a calendar year,
Is also celebrated as mole day every year.
.
To measure substances in a chemical reaction,
Moles are the most ideal way of handling chemical mathematics,
As they are the Basic building block of chemical mathematics,
Mom! can we have devises /balance measuring number ,
Rather than in grams , can we get readings in mole numbers,
No my son! Balance like that is yet to come .
Chemists measure amount by volume or mass,
Mass of one mole of atoms is called molar mass,
Volume of one mole of gas is called molar volume,
1 mol of any gas at STP has 22.4 Liter a volume ,
That makes RT equal to Pressure x Volume.
My son!- it is the world of amusement ! ,
It is lot easier weighing out 1 gram of bunch ,
Of atoms or molecules for experiment in lab,
Than to find a single atom or molecule ,
And work with it in the lab.
In a way, mole is a scaling factor, my son!
Between the microscopic world-atomic mass,
And macroscopic world –total mass,
Now I understand my mom!
Why incredibly important are the moles!
To all scientists and fellow researchers
Like you and your friends , my son!
Moles translate microscopic to the real world ,
It seems that material physicists and chemists,
Are returning to the very principle of Avogadro hypothesis my mom!
That Our world is a projection of an invisible little world.
Where at a time , we understand one mole or 6.02 *10^23 atoms ,
As the basic building block of material forms - the atom/molecule/mole.
The use of amu as unit in chemical calculation is difficult ,
Therefore chemist must have some unit which is convenient ,
Avogadros an ignited brain, an archetact of chemistry, my son!
Gave expedite unit –a mole! for controlling chemical calculation.
It is essential for every chemical reaction,
If it is making of dangerous bomb from hydrogen,
Or simply making cool sugar drink from fresh lemon,
To have calculation of mole of products and reactants.
Karma/action and mole are bases of,
Individual life forms and chemical calculations my mom!,
From human beings to –a better human beings transition.
One should target at good karma/action
What should be order of good karma/action ,
In ones life, is a million dollar question? my son!
Could it be of the order of Avogadros number?
A Mole!-a huge- large number, a magical number,
Which will lead ones life to salvation my mom!..
Dr. Sukarma RaniThareja
Christ Church College,
Kanpur
UP, India