1.3.

7 General chemistry

Name Symbol Definition SI unit Notes

number of entities N 1
(e.g. molecules, atoms,
ions, formula units)
amount (of substance), n nB = NB/L mol (1), (2)
chemical amount
-1
Avogadro constant L, NA mol
mass of atom ma, m kg
atomic mass
mass of entity mf, m kg (3)
(molecule, formula unit)
12
atomic mass constant mu mu = ma( C)/12 kg (4)
-1
molar mass M MB = m/nB kg mol (2), (5)

(1) The words ‘of substance' may be replaced by the specification of the entity.

Example When the amount of O2 is equal to 3 moles, n(O2) = 3 mol, then the
amount of ½O2 is equal to 6 moles, n(½O2) = 6 mol.
Thus n(½O2) = 2n(O2).
(2) The definition applies to entities B which should always be indicated by a subscript or in
parentheses, e.g. nB of n(B).
(3) A formula unit is not a unit but an entity specified as a group of atoms by the way the
chemical formula is written.
(4) mu is equal to the unified atomic mass unit, with symbol u, i.e. mu = 1 u. In biochemistry
this unit is called the dalton, with symbol Da, although the name and symbol have not
been approved by CGPM.
(5) The definition applies to pure substance, where m is the total mass and V is the total
volume. However, corresponding quantities may also be defined for a mixture as m/n
and V/n, where n = ∑ ni . These quantities are called the mean molar mass and the mean
i
molar volume respectively.

Chapter 1 - 1
Name Symbol Definition SI unit Notes

relative molecular mass, Mr Mr = mf/mu 1 (6)

(relative molar mass,
molecular weight)
relative atomic mass, Ar Ar = ma/mu 1 (6)
(atomic weight)
3 -1
molar volume Vm Vm,B = V/nB m mol (2), (5)
mass fraction w wj = mj/Σmi 1 (7)
volume fraction φ φj = Vj/ΣVi 1 (7), (8)
mole fraction, x, y xB = nB/ΣnA 1 (2), (9)
amount fraction,
number fraction
(total) pressure p, P Pa (10)
partial pressure pB pB = yBp Pa (11)

(6) For molecules Mr is the relative molecular mass or molecular weight; for atoms Mr is the
relative atomic mass or atomic weight and the symbol Ar may be used. Mr may also be
-1
called the relative molar mass, Mr,B = MB/Mθ, where Mθ = 1 g mol . The standard
atomic weights, recommended by IUPAC, are listed in the Green Book p.94. See also
1.8. Table for atomic weights to five significant figures.
(7) The definition applies to component j.
(8) Vj and Vi are the volumes of appropriate components prior to mixing.
(9) For condensed phases x is used, and for gaseous mixtures y may be used.
5
(10) Pressures are often expressed in the non-SI unit bar, where 1 bar = 10 Pa. The standard
5
pressure p = 1 bar = 10 Pa. Low pressures are often expressed in millibars, where 1
-3
mbar =10 bar = 100 Pa.
(11) The symbol and the definition apply to molecules B, which should be specified. In real
(non-ideal) gases there is a difficulty about defining partial pressure. Some workers
regard the equation given as an operational definition; the alternative is to regard the
partial pressure of B as the pressure exerted by molecules B.

Chapter 1 - 2
Name Symbol Definition SI unit Notes

-3
mass concentration, γ, ρ γj = mj/V kg m (7),(12),(13)
(mass density)
-3
number concentration, C, n CB = NB/V m (2),(12), (14)
number density of
entities
-3
amount concentration, c cB = nB/V mol m (2), (12), (15)
concentration
-3
solubility s sB = cB(saturated soln) mol m (2)
-1
molality (of a solute) m, b mB = nB/mA mol kg (2), (16)
-2
surface concentration Γ ΓB = nB/A mol m (2)

(12) V is the volume of the mixture.

(13) In polymer science the symbol c is often used for mass concentration.
(14) The term number concentration and symbol C is preferred for mixtures.
-3
(15) The unit mol dm is often used for amount concentration. ‘Amount concentration' is an
abbreviation for ‘amount-of-substance concentration'. (The Clinical Chemistry Division
of IUPAC recommends that amount of substance concentration be abbreviated to
‘substance concentration'.) When there is no risk of confusion the word ‘concentration'
may be used alone. The symbol [B] is often used for amount concentration of entities B.
-3
This quantity is also sometimes called molarity. A solution of, for example, 1 mol dm
is often called a 1 molar solution, denoted 1 M solution. Thus M is often treated as a
-3
symbol for mol dm .
(16) In the defintion mB denotes the molality of solute B, and mA denotes the mass of solvent
A; thus the same symbol m is used with two different meaning. This confusion of
notation may be avoided by using the symbol b for molality.

A solution of molality 1 mol/kg is occasionally called a 1 molal solution,

denoted 1 m solution; however the symbol m should not be treated as a symbol
-1
for the unit mol kg .

Chapter 1 - 3
Name Symbol Definition SI unit Notes

stoichiometric number v 1 (17)

extent of reaction, advancement ξ nB = nB,0 + vBξ mol (2), (18)
degree of reaction α 1 (19)

(17) The stoichiometric number is defined through the reaction equation. It is negative for
reactants and positive for products. The values of the stoichiometric numbers depend on
how the reaction equation is written.

Example (½) N2 + (3/2) H2 = NH3: v(N2) = -½

v(H2) = -3/2
v(NH3) = +1

A symbolic way of writing a general chemical equation is

0 = ΣvjBj

where Bj denotes an entity in the reaction. For multireaction systems it is convenient to

write the chemical equations in matrix form

Av =0

where A is the conservation (or formula) matrix with elements Aij representing the
number of atoms of the ith element in the jth reaction component (reactant or product)
entity and v is the stoichiometric number matrix with elements vjk being the
stoichiometric numbers of the jth reaction component entity in the kth reaction. When
there are Ns reacting species involved in the system consisting of Ne elements A
becomes an Ne×Ns matrix. Its nullity, N(A) = Ns - rank(A), gives the number of
independent chemical reactions, Nr, and the Ns×Nr stoichiometric number matrix, v, can
be determined as the null space of A. 0 is an Ne×Nr zero matrix.
(18) nB,0 is the amount of B when ξ = 0. A more general definition is ∆ξ = ∆nB/vB. The extent
of reaction also depends on how the reaction equation is written, but it is independent of
which entity in the reaction equation is used in the defintion.

Example For the reaction is footnote (17), when ∆ξ = 2 mol, ∆n(N2) = -1 mol,
∆n(H2) = -3 mol, and ∆n(NH3) = +2 mol.

This quantity was originally introduced as degrè d'avancement by de Donder.

(19) For a specific reaction terms such as ‘degree of dissociation', ‘degree of ionization', etc
are commonly used.

Chapter 1 - 4
Other symbols and conventions in chemistry

(i) Symbols for particles and nuclear reactions

neutron n helion h
proton p alpha particle α
deutron d electron e
triton t photon γ
+ -
positive muon µ negative muon µ

+ 0
The electric charge of particles may be indicated by adding the superscript +, -, or 0; e.g. p , n ,
-
e , etc. If the symbols p and e are used without a charge, they refer to the positive proton and
negative electron respectively.

The meaning of the symbolic expression indicating a nuclear reaction should be as follows:

initial  incoming particles outgoing particles  final

 , 
nuclide  or quanta or quanta  nuclide

14 17 59 60
Examples N(α, p) O, Co(n, γ) Co,
23 20 31 29
Na(γ, 3n) Na, P(γ, pn) Si

(ii) Chemical symbols for the elements

The chemical symbols of elements are (in most cases) derived from their Latin names and
consist of one or two letters which should always be printed in roman (upright) type. Only for
elements of atomic number greater than 103, the systematic symbols consist of three letters.

Examples I, U, Pa, C

The symbols can have different meanings:

(a) They can denote an atom of the element. For example, Cl can denote a chlorine atom
having 17 protons and 18 or 20 neutrons (giving a mass number of 35 or 37), the
difference being ignored. Its mass is on average 35.4527 u in terrestrial samples.

(b) The symbol may, as a kind of shorthand, denote a sample of the element. For example,
Fe can denote a sample of iron, and He a sample of helium gas.

The term nuclide implies an atom of specified atomic number (proton number) and mass
number (nucleon number). Nuclides having the same atomic number but different mass
numbers are called isotopic nuclides or isotopes. Nuclides having the same mass number but

Chapter 1 - 5
different atomic numbers are called isobaric nuclides or isobars.

A nuclide may be specified by attaching the mass number as a left superscript to the symbol for
the element. The atomic number may also be attached as a left subscript, if desired, although
this is rarely done. If no left superscript is attached, the symbol is read as inlcuding all isotopes
in natural abundance.

14 12 13 1 35 37
Examples N, C, C, O, n(Cl) = n( Cl) + n( Cl)

The ionic charge number is denoted by a right superscript, or by the sign alone when the charge
is equal to one.

+
Examples Na a sodium positive ion (cation)
79 -
Br a bromine-79 negative ion (anion, bromide ion)
3+ +3
Al or Al aluminium triply positive ion
2- -2
3 S or 3 S three sulfur doubly negative ions (sulfide ions)

The right superscript position is also used to convey other information: excited electronic states
may be denoted by an asterisk.

* *
Examples H , Cl

Oxidation numbers are denoted by positive or negative roman numerals or by zero (see also (iv)
below).

VII -II 0
Examples Mn , O , Ni

The positions and meanings of indices around the symbol of the element are summarized as
follows:
left superscript mass number
left subscript atomic number
right superscript charge number, oxidation number, excitation symbol
right subscript number of atoms per entity (see (iii) below)

(iii) Chemical formulae

Chemical formulae entities composed of more than one atom (molecules, complex ions, groups
of atoms, etc.).

2-
Examples N2, P4, C6H6, CaSO4, PtCl4 , Fe0.91S

Chapter 1 - 6
They may also be used as a shorthand to denote a sample of the corresponding chemical
substance.

Examples CH3OH methanol

ρ(H2SO4) mass density of sulfuric acid

The number of atoms in an entity is indicated by a right subscript (the numeral 1 being omitted).
Groups of atoms may also be enclosed in parentheses. Entities may be specified by giving the
corresponding formula, often multiplied by a factor. Charge numbers of complex ions, and
excitation symbols, are added as right superscripts to the whole formula. The free radical nature
of some entities may be stressed by adding a dot to the symbol.

Examples H2O one water molecule, water

½ O2 half an oxygen molecule
Zn3(PO4)2 one zinc phosphate formula unit, zinc phosphate
2 MgSO4 two formula units of magnesium sulfate
1/5 KMnO4 one-fifth of a potassium permanganate formula unit
-
½ SO half a sulfate ion
.
(CH3) methyl free radical
CH3 C& HCH isopropyl radical
3
NO2* electronically excited nitrogen dioxide molecule

2-
In the above examples, ½ O2, 1/5 KMnO4, and ½ SO4 are artifical in the sense that such
fractions of a molecule cannot exist. However, it may often be convenient to specify entities in
this way when calculating amount of substance; see (v) below.

Specific electronic states of entities (atoms, molecules, ions) can be denoted by giving the
electronic term symbol (see section 3.5) in parentheses. Vibrational and rotational states can be
specified by giving the corresponding quantum numbers.
3
Examples Hg( P1) a mercury atom in the triplet -P-one state
HF(v = 2, J = 6) a hydrogen fluoride molecule in the vibrational
state v = 2 and the rotational state J = 6
+ 2
H2O ( A1) a water molecule ion in the doublet-A-one state

Chemical formulae may be written in different ways according to the information that they
convey, as follows:

Chapter 1 - 7
Formula Information conveyed Example for lactic acid

empirical stoichiometric proportion only CH2O

molecular in accord with molecular mass C3H6O3

structural structural arrangement of atoms CH3CHOHCOOH

displayed projection of atoms and bonds

stereochemical stereochemical arrangement

Further conventions for writing chemical formulae are described in Nomenclature of Inorganic
Chemistry, Blackwell Sci. Publ., Oxford 1990 and in Nomenclature of Organic Chemistry,
Sections A-F, Pergamon Press, Oxford 1979.

(iv) Equations for chemical reactions

Symbols connecting the reactants and products in a chemical reaction equation have the
following meanings:

H2 + Br2 = 2 HBr stoichiometric relation

H2 + Br2 → 2 HBr net forward reaction
H2 + Br2 ⇆ 2 HBr reaction, both directions
H2 + Br2 ⇌ 2 HBr equilibrium
. .
A single arrow is also used to designate an elementary reaction, such as H + Br2 → HBr + Br .
It should therefore be made clear if this is the usage intended.

Redox equations are often written so that the absolute value of the stoichiometric number for
the electrons transferred (which are normally omitted from the overall equation) is equal to one.

Chapter 1 - 8
 VII II
Example (1/5) KMn O4 + (8/5) HCl = (1/5) Mn Cl2 + (½) Cl2 + (1/5) KCl + (4/5) H2O

Similarly a reaction in an electrochemical cell may be written so that the charge number of the
cell reaction is equal to one:

0 I III 0
Example (⅓) In (s) + (½) Hg 2SO4(s) = (1/6) In 2(SO4)3(aq) + Hg (l)
(the symbols in parentheses denote the state; see (vi) below).

(v) Amount of substance and the specification of entities

The quantity ‘amount of substance' or ‘chemical amount' (‘Stoffmenge' in German) has been
used by chemists for a long time without a proper name. It was simply referred to as the
‘number of moles'. This practice should be abandoned, because it is wrong to use ‘number of
metres' as a synonym for ‘length'). The amount of substance is proportional to the number of
specified elementary entities of that substance; the proportionality factor is the same for all
substances and is the reciprocal of the Avogadro constant. The elementary entities may be
chosen as convenient, not necessarily as physically real individual particles. Since the amount
of substance and all physical quantities derived from it depend on this choice it is essential to
specify the entities to avoid ambiguities.

Examples nCl, n(Cl) amount of Cl, amount of chlorine atoms

n(Cl2) amount of Cl2, amount of chlorine molecules
n(H2SO4) amount of (entities) H2SO4
n(1/5 KMnO4) amount of (entities) 1/5 KMnO4
M(P4) molar mass of (tetraphosphorus) P4
cHCl, c(HCl), [HCl] amount concentration of HCl
Λ(MgSO4) molar conductivity of (magnesium sulfate
entities) MgSO4
Λ(½ MgSO4) molar conductivity of (entities) ½ MgSO4
n(1/5 KMnO4) = 5n(KMnO4)
2+ 2+
λ(½Mg ) = ½λ(Mg )
[½H2SO4] =2[H2SO4]
(See also examples in section 1.4.1)

Note that ‘amount of sulfur' is an ambiguous statement, because it might imply n(S), n(S8), or
n(S2), etc. In some cases analogous statements are less ambiguous. Thus for compounds the
implied entity is usually the molecule or the common formula entity, and for solid metals it is
the atom.

Examples ‘2 moles of water' implies n(H2O) = 2 mol; ‘0.5 moles of sodium chloride'

Chapter 1 - 9
 implies n(NaCl) = 0.5 mol; ‘3 millimoles of iron' implies n(Fe) = 3 mmol, but
such statements should be avoided whenever there might be ambiguity.

However, in the equation pV = nRT and in equations involving colligative properties, the entity
implied in the definition of n should be an individually translating particle (a whole molecule
for a gas), whose nature is unimportant.

(vi) States of aggregation

The following one-, two- or three-letter symbols are used to represent the states of aggregation
of chemical species. The letters are appended to the formula symbol in parentheses, and should
be printed in roman (upright) type without a full stop (period).
g gas or vapour vit vitreous substance
l liquid a, ads species adsorbed on a substrate
s solid mon monomeric form
cd condensed phase pol polimeric form
(i.e. solid or liquid) sln solution
fl fluid phase aq aqueous solution
(i.e. gas or liquid) aq, ∞ aqueous solution at
cr crystalline infinite dilution
lc liquid crystal am amorphous solid

Example HCl(g) hydrogen chloride in the gaseous state

CV(fl) heat capacity of a fluid at constant volume
Vm(lc) molar volume of a liquid crystal
U(cr) internal energy of a crystalline solid
MnO2(am) manganese dioxide as an amophous solid
MnO2(cr, I) manganese dioxide as crystal form I
NaOH(aq) aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide
NaOH(aq, ∞) ...as above, at infinite dilution
∆fHθ(H2O, l) standard enthalpy of formation of liquid water

The symbols g, l, to denote gas phase, liquid phase, etc., are also sometimes used as a right
superscript, and the Greek letter symbols α, β, may be similarly used to denote phase α, phase β,
etc., in general notation.
l s
Examples Vm , Vm molar volume of the liquid phase, ... of the solid phase
α β
Sm , Sm molar entropy of phase α, ... of phase β

Chapter 1 - 10