October 18, 2016 - This year Shelbyville ISD’s Chemistry class, taught by Brook Harrison, is celebrating Mole Day. This day is celebrated nationally every year on October 23rd from 6:02am to 6:02pm. No, it's not a day for freckles, spies, Mexican sauce, or cute little burrowing mammals. Rather it's the day to celebrate the chemical unit the "mole." Mole Day commemorates Avogadro’s Number (6.02x10²³), which is basic measuring unit in Chemistry.
We won't get into the technical aspects, but in 1811 Avogadro proposed a law (now known as Avogadro's Law) stating that equal volume of all gasses, at the same temperature and pressure, have the same number of molecules.
As with many scientific accomplishments of that age, Avogadro's findings were promptly ignored. It took about a hundred years for the scientific community to get around to appreciating what he's done. In 1909, French chemist and Nobel laureate Jean Baptiste Perrin proposed that quantity of molecules be called "Avogadro's Constant."
Mole day was created as a way to foster interest in Chemistry. Several schools around the world celebrate mole day with various activities related to Chemistry and/or moles. Mole day actually falls on Sunday this year so Shelbyville ISD will be celebrating it on Monday, October 24. To celebrate for mole day students of Mrs. Harrison’s class will bring various snacks or “mole treats” to class as well as a special mole project. During the class period students will have fun activities and demonstrations.
