Converting Mass to Moles
How many moles of sucrose are in a tablespoon of sugar containing 2.85 g? (The molar mass of sucrose, C_{12}H_{22}O_{11}, was calculated in Worked Example 6.4 to be 342.0 g/mol)
STRATEGY
The problem gives the mass of sucrose and asks for a mass-to-mole conversion. Use the molar mass of sucrose as a conversion factor, and set up an equation so that the unwanted unit cancels.
BALLPARK CHECK
Because the molecular weight of sucrose is 342.0, 1 mol of sucrose has a mass of 342.0 g. Thus, 2.85 g of sucrose is a bit less than one-hundredth of a mole, or 0.01 mol. The estimate agrees with the detailed solution.