The term "mole" doesn't have a traditional "full name" like a person does. Instead, it's a shortened version of a word. The original term was derived from the German word Molekül (molecule).
Origin of the Term "Mole"
| Term | Origin | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Molekül | German (molecule) | - |
| Mol | German | 1894 |
| Mole | Translation of Mol | 1897 |
The name "mole" we use in chemistry today is a translation from the German word "Mol," which was coined by chemist Wilhelm Ostwald in 1894. Ostwald derived "Mol" from "Molekül," the German word for "molecule". The name was then translated into English as "mole" in 1897.
Key Points about the Mole:
- Not a Full Name: The term "mole" is a name for a unit of measurement, not a name with a longer formal version.
- Connection to Molecules: The term relates back to the concept of molecules due to the original German term used by Wilhelm Ostwald.
- Equivalent Mass Concept: The concept of equivalent mass which is related to moles, existed at least a century earlier, showing a long history in the concepts of measuring amounts of substances in chemistry.
In conclusion, while there isn't a "full name" for mole, the word is a shortened version derived from Molekül (molecule).
