My Co-op Chemistry class is weighing moles of table salt, Epsom salts, water, nails, baking soda, and aluminum foil. (BTW Apologia Chemistry has a photo with examples of moles in Module 5.) Why are the kids weighing moles? I’ve found this strategy to help kids grasp the mole concept. Here is an example I used in class. Driveway Heat is CaCl2; its molar mass is 111.1 grams/mole. The kids weigh 111.1 grams on the digital scales in their Chem kits. For each element or compound, the kids determine the chemical name, its formula, and molar mass. Then the kids weigh that amount of each element or compound. I know this sounds stupid—it really helps to see a mole. Here is the What Does a Mole Look Like Lab—really. Many desperate chemistry teachers have learned how valuable weighing a mole is.
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