Happy Mole Day!

less than 1m read

·Nov 11, 2024

Hey everybody! Rocco T. Mole here to wish you a Happy Mole Day from all of us at Khan Academy!

Yes, moles! The chemistry concept, not the critter. Now, in case you’ve been living under a rock (like me), a mole is another name for Avogadro’s number which is (approximately) 6.022 times 10 to the 23rd. Kinda like how a “dozen” is another name for 12.

So why do we need a name for such a big number?! Well, we could write it like this: 602,214,129,000,000,000,000,000 (Thank you). But that would take a while! Moles make counting easier for chemists, particularly when talking about atoms or molecules.

So for the number of molecules in a cup of water, you could write an 8 with 24 zeros after it... OR you could just call it 13 moles of water instead! (Thank you Yuki) Isn't that easier?

Now, the moral of this story is: moles are the best! And if you want to learn more about chemistry, or anything, really, head to our website: khanacademy.org.

That's Khan as in Ghenghis, no relation; and Academy, as in academy. Happy Mole Day everyone! You can learn anything!

Are we still–we're not recording, right?

REAL CYCLOPS SHARK and more great images -- IMG! #46

Impact of mass on orbital speed | Study design | AP Statistics | Khan Academy

View All

Charlie Munger's 6 Secrets for a Successful Life

And another thing that people do, like bear guard is amazing, is they build these enormous mausoleums. I think they figure they want people to walk by that mausoleum and say, “Gosh, I wish I were in there.” Let me tell you another story that I think is a…

Is Your Red The Same as My Red?

Hey, Vsauce. Michael here. This appears blue. This appears yellow. And this appears green. Those of us with normal color vision can probably agree. But that doesn’t change the fact that color is an illusion. Color, as we know it, does not exist in the out…

15 Little Habits To Have a Better Day

You know, Alexir, the simplest habits are the most effective. They’re preached over and over again for a reason. It’s because those habits help you live a peaceful, productive, and satisfying life. Eat your greens and your protein, floss daily, put on sun…

How To Get Rich According To Richard Branson