Counting the Uncountable: A Kid-Friendly Guide to Moles, Molecules, and Mind-Blowing Numbers
- Science, Naturally!
- 7 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Today at Science Naturally, we're celebrating Mole Day! But wait…what is a mole?
Every year on October 23rd, science-savvy individuals celebrate National Mole Day. No, we're not talking about the furry little creatures that dig holes underground. And no, we don’t mean the beauty mark on your skin that’s a bit bigger than a freckle.
So then what exactly are we talking about when we say mole?
The kind of mole we’ll be discussing today is a super important and universal kind of measurement—meaning everyone all over the world uses it. Usually when you measure something—like, say, your foot or hand—you would use centimeters or inches, right? But what if you’re measuring something so tiny that not even a microscope could help you to see it, like atoms? What do you do then? In that case, you use moles!
Still confused? Let’s break it down even further.
You can’t measure out molecules or atoms with a ruler because they’re just too tiny. To give you an idea of just how tiny we’re talking, look down at your fingernail. Pretty small, right? But what if we told you that just one of your fingernails is made up of trillions of atoms. Measuring them the same way you would measure your foot or a book would be impossible, so scientists came up with a more practical solution! Instead of measuring the size of molecules, moles help you to figure out how many there are in an object.
Here’s the mind-blowing part: If you have 1 mole of atoms, that means there are 602 billion trillion of them. The number looks like this: 602,000,000,000,000,000,000,000. That’s an un-mole-ievable amount of atoms!
Let’s apply this to a real-life scenario. If you take a sip of water, you are drinking 1 mole of water—which contains 602,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 water molecules! Whoa.
So why do we call it a mole instead of just using the number 602 billion trillion?
Do you have a nickname? My name is Sofia, but my family and friends sometimes call me Sof for short. For the same reason, instead of saying “602,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000”—which takes forever— scientists just say “mole” for short! Similarly, instead of writing out “602 billion trillion,” scientists prefer to write it like this: 6.02x10^23. Don’t worry too much about that formula right now—just know that 602,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000 and 6.02x1023 is the same thing, even if they look really different.
Why is National Mole Day celebrated on October 23?
Well, if you write out the date, it looks like this: 10/23. And remember that formula we just talked about? The second half of it is 10^23. Pretty cool, right? Here’s the fun part: Mole Day is celebrated from 6:02 am to 6:02 pm, just like the 6.02 at the beginning of the formula!
Who first introduced the concept of the mole as a unit of measurement?
Amedeo Avogadro! (No, not like the fruit, avocado. It’s Avogadro.) He was an Italian Chemist from Turin. Because he first proposed the idea behind the mole, scientists named the number after him. That said, it took a whole team of other scientists to double-check and confirm his theory about moles.
Where else can you find moles (besides water)?
Everywhere! Moles are in everything, from sugar to sand to the very air you breathe. If it is made of atoms or molecules, you can count it in moles.
That was a lot of information, huh? We hope you enjoyed learning about moles and how they help scientists count itty bitty atoms and molecules. Next time you drink a glass of water or eat a cookie, we know you’ll think about the 602,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 molecules you are taking in with every sip and every bite.
At Science Naturally, we proudly share the American Chemical Society’s (ACS) goal of inspiring young minds to explore the fascinating world of chemistry. Mole Day is the perfect reminder that even the tiniest building blocks of matter—things we can’t even see—play a big role in our everyday lives. Learning about the mole, and scientists like Amedeo Avogadro who helped us understand it, encourages kids to see the world through a scientific lens filled with curiosity and discovery.
If your budding scientist is eager to learn more about chemistry or the metric system, be sure to check out some of our engaging titles, including Mole and Tell, Women in Chemistry, and Talking Science. You can also explore more chemistry fun in our blog post from last year linked here.
We hope this post helps your little one head out into the world with a stronger and more confident understanding of science!
Shop our top titles for Mole Day:
