"The covert operative" or "The secret agent"
On October 23, 2019, scientists around the world celebrated a significant milestone in the field of chemistry - the redefinition of the mole (mol), a fundamental unit that defines the amount of a substance. The celebration, known as Mole Day, took place from 6:02 am to 6:02 pm, symbolising Avogadro's number, a crucial constant in chemistry.
The presentation and video commemorating this event were given by Peter Saunders and Farzana Masouleh of the Measurement Standards Laboratory of New Zealand. The video, produced by the same lab, was filmed before the redefinition of the International System of Units (SI) on May 20, 2019. The video was filmed and edited by Jonathon Potton of Chillbox Creative, and the presentation was held at Unleash Space, Faculty of Engineering, Auckland University.
Before the redefinition, one mole was defined based on the number of atoms in 12 grams of carbon-12. However, after the revision, the definition of one mole was fixed at Avogadro's number, approximately 6.022 140 76 x 10, which will now be used as a constant for the definition of one mole.
Mole Day was chosen to take place on October 23 because the date and time represent Avogadro's number. The "10/23" corresponds to the exponent 10^23, and the time "6:02 am" corresponds to 6.02, together symbolising (6.02 \times 10^{23}). This unofficial holiday, celebrated by scientists, aims to promote chemical education and public awareness about this important constant in chemistry.
The redefinition of the mole is a significant step forward in the field of chemistry, providing a more precise and consistent definition for this fundamental unit. Mole Day serves as a reminder of this important event and the continued development of metrology, the science of measurement.
The redefinition of the mole, a fundamental unit in chemistry, opened doors for advancements in health-and-wellness therapies and treatments, as precise measurements are crucial in these fields. This milestone underscored the importance of science, as new discoveries and innovations are continually being made.
Metrology, the science of measurement, played a crucial role in the redefinition of the mole, impacting not only chemistry but also various sectors that rely on accurate measurements, including health-and-wellness and therapies and treatments.
