Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
gram-atomic weight

gram-atomic weight

7.9
The mass in grams of one mole of an element
  • noun
  • /ˈɡræm əˈtɑːmɪk weɪt/
  • Archaic
translation icon : peso atómico en gramos
  • The gram-atomic weight of carbon is approximately 12 grams.

Examples

  • The gram-atomic weight of oxygen is approximately 16 grams.

  • When performing calculations in chemistry, scientists often use the gram-atomic weight to measure elements.

  • A sample containing the gram-atomic weight of carbon has 6 grams.

  • Oxygen has a gram-atomic weight of about 16 grams.

  • The gram-atomic weight of hydrogen is about 1 gram, allowing chemists to calculate reactions more easily.

  • In laboratory experiments, the accurate gram-atomic weight of an element is crucial for precise measurements.

  • To find the gram-atomic weight of sulfur, you need to refer to the periodic table, where it is listed as approximately 32 grams.

Synonyms

gram atom
vsgram-atomic weight
  • Archaic
7.5

An amount of an element that weighs in grams the same as its atomic weight

is identical in meaning but uses an alternative written form

Surface Forms

gram-atomic weight singular
gram-atomic weights plural

Morphology

gram-atomic + weight

The phrase is compositionally built from 'gram' + 'atomic' + 'weight', so a learner who knows those constituents can plausibly infer it refers to a weight relating to atoms expressed in grams. However, the precise technical sense (the mass in grams equal to an element's atomic weight, i.e. the amount corresponding to one mole) requires specific chemistry knowledge, making the meaning only partially predictable to a B1 learner.

Etymology

Gram-atomic weight comes from the parts gram (a unit of weight) and atomic weight (the number for an element). Imagine a small bag of atoms that weighs the same number in grams as the element's atomic weight, for example 16 grams of oxygen; that amount is the 'mole' chemists use, so it means the weight in grams equal to the atomic weight.