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 (amu) or grams per mole (g/mol) and is crucial for stoichiometric calculations in chemistry.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the molecular weight formula:

Where:

• \( atomic\ masses \) — Standard atomic weights of elements
• \( counts \) — Number of each atom in the molecule

Explanation: The calculator parses the chemical formula, identifies each element and its count, then sums the products of each element's atomic mass and its count in the molecule.

3. Importance of Molecular Weight

Details: Molecular weight is essential for preparing solutions, determining stoichiometry in reactions, calculating molarity, and in various analytical techniques like mass spectrometry.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the chemical formula using standard notation (e.g., H2O for water, C6H12O6 for glucose). Case matters - elements should start with uppercase letters.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What's the difference between molecular weight and molar mass?
A: They are numerically equal but molecular weight is dimensionless while molar mass has units of g/mol.

Q2: How accurate is this calculator?
A: It uses standard atomic weights and provides results to 2 decimal places. For precise work, use exact isotopic masses.

Q3: Does it work for complex formulas?
A: It handles basic formulas well. For complex ones with parentheses or charges, specialized software may be needed.

Q4: What elements are supported?
A: Common elements like H, C, N, O, Na, Mg, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Fe, Cu, Zn are included.

Q5: Can I use this for ionic compounds?
A: Yes, as long as you input the correct empirical formula (e.g., NaCl for sodium chloride).