Now in order to convert between moles and particles, we have to utilize what's called Avogadro's number. Now Avogadro's number says that one mole of a substance is equal to 6.022×1023 particles. Now this value here of 6.022×1023, that is Avogadro's number and we're going to say the term particles. It's just a general term that is used for ions, atoms, molecules or formula units. We talked about each of these four terms up above. If we want to just combine them all into one idea, we can use the term particles.
Now we're going to say here that one mole of a substance is equal to Avogadro's number, right? So that would mean that one mole of chlorine. And remember, chlorine is a diatomic element in its natural form equals 6.022×1023 molecules of CL2. Now we need to realize here that this can be a conversion factor because it's combining two different units together. So we can say here that one mole of CL2 is 6.022×1023 molecules of CL2. And remember conversion factors we can do the reciprocal where we flip it. So we could say Avogadro's number on top, moles of CL2 on the bottom depending on if we want units to cancel out in a certain way.
Now before we move on to the next section, just let's investigate this conversion factor a little bit more. We have one mole of chlorine. Chlorine, remember its natural form of CL2. Why are we using the term molecules though? Remember, the term molecules is used when we have a compound that has two or more nonmetals together. Chlorine is a nonmetal and there are two of them, right. So that's why we're using the term molecules. That's why we're not using ions, atoms or formula units.
It can't be an ion because it doesn't possess a positive or negative charge. It can't be an atom. We'd only use the term atom if it was just one chlorine. By itself, we can't use the term formula unit because formula unit would mean that we need to have a metal connected to that chlorine. Because remember, a formula unit is when you have a metal and nonmetal together. So again, if we're trying to go between moles and particles, we have to utilize Avogadro's number and we're using the term molecules here because we have two nonmetals together.
