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What is the difference between molecular mass and formula mass?Explain this with the help of example?
Verified Answer
What is the difference between molecular mass and formula mass?Explain...
Both molecular mass and formula mass signify the same thing that is the total mass of a substance. While molecular mass is used for covalent compounds, the term formula mass is used for ionic compounds. 

The molecular mass of a substance is the sum of the atomic masses of all the atoms present in a molecule of that substance. It is expressed in atomic mass unit (u). Thus, to calculate the molecular mass, the atomic mass of all the atoms present in it are added.

For example, Molecular mass of glucose C6H12O6 is = 6 (C) + 12 (H) + 6 (O) = 180 u.

The formula mass of a substance is defined as the sum of the atomic masses of constituent atoms in an ionic compound. This is generally used for ionic compounds which do not contain discrete molecules, but ions as their constituent units. For example, in sodium chloride, the sodium and chloride ions are arranged in a three dimensional structure, that is there are two different entities and not a single entity (like in a molecule). Therefore the formula mass of sodium chloride will simply be

= mass of sodium atom + mass of chlorine atom

= (23 + 35.5) u

= 58.5 u
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Most Upvoted Answer
What is the difference between molecular mass and formula mass?Explain...
There is a cyclopean difference between molecular mass and formula mass.
  1. Molecular mass is the mass of a given molecule or compound but now the clinch here is that it remains neutral despite the presence of zillions of molecules. For ex: Molecular mass of CO2 = 12*1 + 16*2=44.
2.But, now the formula mass is something different. IT IS THE MOLECULAR MASS OF THE WHOLE COMPOUND CONTAINING X NO. OF MOLECULES OF THAT COMPOUND. Let me clarify it with example: Like we have to find the formula mass of 10Na2SO4.H2O= 10[23*2+32+16*4+2*1+16*1] = 10*180= 1800.
So, it is pretty clear that formula mass is ‘x’ times the molecular mass of that compound.
Community Answer
What is the difference between molecular mass and formula mass?Explain...
Molecular mass is the relative mass of a molecule of an element Or compound with respect to 1/12 of the mass of 1 atom of carbon 12.
Formula mass of a compound is the amount of that compound that has the same mass in gram as the formula in a m u
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What is the difference between molecular mass and formula mass?Explain this with the help of example?
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