CHEMISTRY GLOSSARY

Relative molecular mass (M_r) is the ratio of the average mass per molecule or specified entity of a substance to 1/12 of the mass of nuclide ¹²C. Also called molecular weight. It is equal to the sum of the relative atomic masses of all the atoms that comprise a molecule. For example

M_r(H₂SO₄) = 2·A_r(H) + A_r(S) + 4·A_r(O)

= 2·1.0079 + 32.066 + 4·15.999

= 2.0158 + 32.066 + 63.996

= 98.078