The molecular formula of aspartame, the artificial sweetener marketed as NutraSweet®, is C₁₄H₁₈N₂O₅. (a) What is the molar mass of aspartame?

Key Concepts

Molar Mass

Molar mass is the mass of one mole of a substance, typically expressed in grams per mole (g/mol). It is calculated by summing the atomic masses of all the atoms in a molecular formula. For aspartame, the molar mass can be determined by adding the contributions from carbon (C), hydrogen (H), nitrogen (N), and oxygen (O) based on their respective quantities in the formula C14H18N2O5.

Atomic Mass

Atomic mass is the weighted average mass of an element's isotopes, measured in atomic mass units (amu). Each element has a specific atomic mass that can be found on the periodic table. For calculating molar mass, the atomic masses of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen are used to find the total mass of aspartame by multiplying the atomic mass of each element by the number of times it appears in the molecular formula.

Molecular Formula

A molecular formula represents the number and type of atoms in a molecule, providing insight into its composition. It differs from an empirical formula, which shows the simplest ratio of elements. In the case of aspartame, the molecular formula C14H18N2O5 indicates that the molecule contains 14 carbon atoms, 18 hydrogen atoms, 2 nitrogen atoms, and 5 oxygen atoms, which is essential for calculating its molar mass.