Wow! There are a lot of LEGO^® toy building blocks in Einstein's head.

There are definitely more than a dozen blocks, probably more than 500 gallons of blocks, and maybe close to a ton of blocks in this sculpture of Albert Einstein. We use different units to represent specific amounts when counting or measuring things. Try the interactive card sort below and see what you know about everyday units.

Counting units and units of measurement describe specific or standard quantities. For example, a gross is exactly 144 items, whereas a clutch can represent various numbers of eggs. How small would something have to be before you couldn't count it?

You are about to embark on an incredible journey through space and scale. You will need your notebook, a way to record data, and your computer's Internet connection. Copy the table below into your notebook.

How Small Is an Atom?

Read through these instructions before starting your journey:

1. Open “The Scale of the Universe 2” interactive in a separate tab by clicking the image below and then clicking “Start.”
2. You will begin at human scale. Click the icon and verify human average size in meters.
3. As you zoom in toward atomic scale, choose eight progressively smaller objects along the way.
4. For each object, record the object and its average size in the data table using scientific notation.
5. After reaching hydrogen, the smallest atom, slowly zoom out to 10¹² meters, find the star Deneb, and record its size.
6. Complete this sentence into your notebook: The hydrogen atom is to a human as a human is to _________.
7. Return to this page to continue the lesson.

Ready? Set? Go!

Copy the following summary sentences into your notebook. Use the video as a resource to complete the sentences. Write down any questions you have. 

• The mole used in chemistry is a …
• Avogadro's number is …
• ______________ molecules of water = 18.01 grams of water = 18.01 mL of water =  1 __________ of water.
• A mole is so big that if …
• Chemists use moles to …

Are you asking "What's the difference between a mole and a molecule?" If so, check out the video in "View Related Items" below for an explanation.

Each picture shows 1 mole of a solid substance.
(The scale was zeroed with the empty dish, so the mass shown is the mass of the substance only.)

Why aren’t the masses of the different solids the same?

• Copy the question into your notebook.
• Record your observations about each substance.
• Use your observations to answer the question.
• Be prepared to share your answer.

Each picture shows 1 mole of a liquid substance.
(The scale was zeroed with the empty graduated cylinder, so the mass shown is the mass of the liquid only.)

Why aren’t the volumes or masses of the different liquids the same?

• Copy the question into your notebook.
• Record your observations about each substance.
• Use your observations to answer the question.
• Be prepared to share your answer.

Do you think you would notice the same effect with gases? Why or why not?

• Copy the question into your notebook.
• Use your knowledge of gases and how they differ from solids and liquids to answer the question.
• Be prepared to share your answer.

The laboratory manager asked you to to dissolve 1 mole of sodium hydroxide into 1 L of water. How will you measure 1 mole of sodium hydroxide?

Copy the question into your notebook. Use the video as a resource to answer the question. Be prepared to share your explanation.

Show off your skills! Put your knowledge of moles and molar mass into practice with this interactive. There's a mini quiz at the end, so be ready to share your answer with the class.

[Note: The interactive activity below is best viewed with Internet Explorer 9, Chrome 29, or Mozilla Firefox 5.0 and higher.]

Take the quiz to check your understanding of how we quantify the building blocks of matter. To retake the quiz, reload the page and then select "No" when the "Resume Quiz" dialog box appears.

This resource is a curated collection of interactives, videos, and other digital media assembled in a conceptually scaffolded 5E lesson format. It provides alternative or additional tier-one learning options for students learning about the mole concept—Chemistry TEKS (8)(A). The assignments require student participation with self-checked and teacher-checked formative assessment opportunities. For example, after students record observations and data in their notebooks, they may be prompted to be prepared to share their answers with the class.

Review the resource before assigning it to your students to check for prerequisite knowledge, differentiation needs, and student follow-up requirements as necessary.

Resource Map

Critical Vocabulary

• Avogadro’s number
• molar mass
• mole
• representative particles
• unit