1. What is Molecular Weight?

Molecular weight (MW) is the sum of the atomic weights of all atoms in a molecule. It's expressed in atomic mass units (u) or grams per mole (g/mol). Molecular weight is a fundamental property used in chemistry for stoichiometric calculations.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the formula:

Where:

• \( MW \) — Molecular weight in g/mol
• Each element's contribution is its atomic weight multiplied by its count in the molecule

Explanation: The calculator parses the chemical formula in Hill notation (capital letter followed by lowercase, then optional number), looks up each element's atomic weight, and sums them according to their counts.

3. Importance of Molecular Weight

Details: Molecular weight is essential for preparing solutions, calculating molarity, determining reaction yields, and in many analytical techniques like mass spectrometry.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter chemical formula in Hill notation (e.g., C6H12O6 for glucose). Elements should start with capital letters followed by lowercase letters (if any), then optional number of atoms.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is Hill notation?
A: A system for writing chemical formulas where carbon atoms come first, hydrogen second, then other elements in alphabetical order (e.g., C6H12O6).

Q2: How accurate are the atomic weights?
A: We use standard atomic weights from IUPAC. For precise work, use isotope-specific weights.

Q3: Can I enter complex formulas?
A: Yes, but only simple formulas without parentheses or dots (e.g., H2SO4 works, but CuSO4·5H2O doesn't).

Q4: What elements are supported?
A: Common elements up to calcium (Ca) are included. For less common elements, please request addition.

Q5: How is this different from formula weight?
A: For ionic compounds, we calculate formula weight the same way (sum of atomic weights).