The Big Idea Behind Avogadro's Number (That Most People Miss)

Are we really focusing on the right aspects of Avogadro's Number? Does a student even need it all? Avogadro didn't! But that doesn't mean it wasn't absolutely critical to the fate of the atomic view of matter. So let's go beyond the numeric value and dig into what makes this awesome.

#FlinnMoleDay
#HowBigIsAMole

So this is my entry to Flinn Scientific's 2021 Mole Day Contest! It got SECOND PLACE so thanks for all the votes. Also thanks to Flinn Scientific for doing this... If you are a science teacher, you owe it to yourself to check out their chemistry catalog. It is an amazing resource.


All photographs courtesy of AIP Emilio Segrè Visual Archives

[camembertdalembert]

As a french high school physics and chemistry teacher, I am flabbergasted by seeing in^3, cm^3, ft^3, MnMs and ESB in the same formula. I've always though that the universal american unit of measurement of all things was the football field.

[rander]

Very smart people back then to propose new theories like this. I love hearing about the history of scientific discoveries.

[mynt]

4:01 thank you SO much for explaining this. I was trying to dig through the history of how Avagadro could have had the hunch that equal volumes of gasses result in equal particles of those gases regardless of substance. You made my day.

[ruven]

hey, i just want to thank you for making these types of videos. chemistry, and all science and maths included, is so underappreciated and the grand history of scientific and mathematical discovery that shapes our world is so often taken for granted. its always so nice to see a small channel produce such outstanding content. love ur enthusiasm and keep doing what u love. thank you.

[paulrosa]

I once took a state sponsored course in Water system operation to get the certificate. I was serving as a commissioner in the village district I live in. The district has it's own water system and at the time - over 30 years ago - it didn't have the income or population to hire professional operators like it now does.
You have to use Avagadro's number to calculate chlorine dosage of the water stored in tanks and in the distribution pipes. I remember hearing and having to use that number in chemistry classes in high school and being confused by it. Other than a few sessions with experiments we didn't get a lot of practical demonstrations. It wasn't nearly as confusing when I saw it in application. It wasn't hard to use.

[GuillotinedChemistry]

Hey, this video got SECOND PLACE in Flinn's Mole Day contest. Thank you so much for the votes and the views... what a great community we have here!

[robertpendzick]

Avogadro's number sets a definite limit on the number of Avocados that a defined mass of atoms can create in the universe. Postulate an Avogadro number of avocados how many universes would you fill?

[transparentphysics]

Nice video, GC. Yet another case of a physicist figuring out a big problem for you chemists! Good luck with the contest!

[dziprick]

It is basically 1 gram of protons. Yes, I know the mass of the proton varies from element to element.

[timecode]

Put some respect on Johann Josef Loschmidt who first estimated/calculated the size of air molecules in 1865 and thus came up with the Loschmidt constant, which can fairly easily be used to determine Avogadro's constant (afaik you're not supposed to call it avogadros number anymore, but constant since it has an associated unit of mol^-1)

[eddarby]

I agree that the value if Avagodro's Number is unnecessary because it cancels out in the conversion. I was shocked that I still remember the value and purpose of the number when I haven't used it for anything since freshmen chemistry.

[aint_a_saint]

As a high schooler who was just annoyed by this Avagadros number; thank u so much Now I tell everyone about it

[shieldcracker]

What a great video. The bridge between the macro and micro is revealed. I think the academia should not dismiss the history and the context on which concepts such as these were developed. Consider that the path to discovery of these concepts is very similar to the path a student takes when learning complex or abstract topics. However as a student you dont have the resources of the experimentalists and many teachers unfortunately ignore all the context after all they are products of the system. Books are great but most of them present scientific or mathematical concepts and then focus on how to apply these to solve a battery of exercises ecncouraging mechanics over creativity.

[glennshrom]

"Mole" over the fact ... I love the pun!

[johnward]

Couldn't have done it better myself. Actually, I couldn't have done it 1/10th as well because despite a lifetime's interest in chemistry I had never understood the historical background, against which it all falls into place. Great post, thank you, subscribed.

[GGGZEEE]

I really appreciate the explanation. Adding the extra ‘i’ to Cannizzaro’s name, however: killing me everytime I’m trying to concentrate on your words.

[shadeblackwolf]

I remember in highschool we did an experiment where we too some long lipids, heavily diluted them and dripped one drop in a cup of water, that had chalk floating on it. Then we measured the circle formed in the chalk. This let us calculate a solid approximation of Avogadro's number

[kiberenigestsebez]

Mole has not been defined, particle not defined, so .. I give you 8/9 for clarity.
History part 10/10

[Govindkumar-khms]

Respect from India sir 🙏🙏🙏.. I wish I would have a teacher like you 🙏. I request you to make such a great videos on every basic concepts of chemistry or science.

[tdumnxy]

Great video and nice 'set', presentation etc. Good to see a new video from you. I'm still going to cheer for team Dalton though!