Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
gram atom

gram atom

7.5
An amount of an element that weighs in grams the same as its atomic weight
  • noun
  • Archaic
translation icon : átomo gramo
  • A gram atom of carbon weighs 12 grams.

Examples

  • A gram atom of oxygen weighs 16 grams, equal to its atomic weight.

  • The reaction involves one gram atom of magnesium combining with chlorine.

  • In stoichiometry, the concept of a gram atom is essential for calculating reactant quantities.

  • The scientist measured a gram atom of oxygen.

  • A gram atom of oxygen weighs 16 grams, which is equal to its atomic weight.

  • The chemist explained that one gram atom of carbon corresponds to a mass of 12 grams.

  • For every gram atom of sulfur used in the reaction, the mass is 32 grams.

Synonyms

gram-atomic weight
vsgram atom
  • Archaic
7.9

The mass in grams of one mole of an element

has the same meaning but is written as two separate words

Surface Forms

gram atom singular
gram atoms plural

Morphology

gram + atom

The constituents 'gram' (a unit of mass) and 'atom' (a particle) give a clear hint that the phrase refers to a mass-related quantity of atoms, so a learner can form a rough idea. However, the precise technical meaning — a specific quantity whose mass in grams equals the atomic weight (essentially a mole-related concept) — is specialized and not fully predictable from the parts for an average B1 learner, so it is only partially transparent.

Etymology

Gram atom comes from joining gram, a unit of weight, and atom, a tiny particle. It means the amount of an element that 'weighs the same number of grams as the element's atomic weight', so one gram atom of oxygen weighs 16 grams and that simple picture helps you remember the meaning.