This mole's not in a hole

Some animals have a whole year designated in their honor. According to Chinese astrology, 2006 is the Year of the Dog. But the fact that the mole is celebrated for a mere 12 hours doesn't make it any less important.

"Mole" is actually short for molecule and Oct. 23 has been National Mole Day since 1991.

A mole is a basic unit of measure in chemistry, 6.02 times (1023 power), hence the designation of Mole Day from 6:02 a.m. to 6:02 p.m. on 10-23.

Students in Veronica Perra's five Chemistry I classes at Douglas High School celebrated Mole Day Monday and Tuesday by learning "mole" in different languages, reciting the Mole Day pledge and playing "Pin the Nose on the Mole."

And what would Mole Day be without mole food like mole-lasses cookies, tootsie moles and guaca-mole?

"We did a relay," said Gina Pfaffenberger, 16. "We did 6 jumping jacks, 2 cartwheels, 10 push-ups and 23 skips. It was exciting because we had a tie - two groups did it in 23 seconds."

Extra credit was given in mole bucks for any students who met at Shady Grove Coffee Co. at 6:02 a.m. Monday.

"We had coffee and looked for moles in the coffee shop," said Jordan Hadlock, 16.

One mole of any substance contains Avogadro's number of molecules or atoms of that substance, approximately 6.02 x 1023.

Avogadro's number was named in honor of Amedeo Avogadro, an Italian scientist known as one the founders of physical chemistry.

Avogadro's law states that at a fixed temperature and pressure, equal volumes of gases contain the same number of molecules.

That means, for a given molecule, one mole is equal to the atomic mass of the molecule. For example, the water molecule has an atomic mass of 18, so one mole of water weighs 18 grams.

Perra said Mole Day came a little early in terms of what her chemistry students have learned so far but the lesson will help them be prepared for when moles pop up later in the year.

"They're getting the basics today," said Perra. "Mole Day was a great way for them to get excited to learn chemistry."