Mole Day: October 23

Mole Day is an unofficial holiday celebrated scientists, specifically chemists on October 23, between 6:02am and 6:02pm.

The holiday day celebrates the mole, a scientific unit measuring the quantity of a substance which is used in chemistry. The term mole is likely derived from the german word Molekül meaning molecule. The first usage in English dates from 1897, in a work translated from German.Some sources place the date of first usage in English as 1902.

The date and time of Mole Day is a direct result of Avogadro's constant which defines the number of particles (atoms or molecules) in a mole. Avogadro's constant is 6.02 × 10^23.

Mole Day is widely celebrated, predominatly in educational institutions, and is quite a tradition in High Schools in the United States and Canada. One of the great traditions of Mole Day is the pun, and the dorkier the better. It is science after all, we embrace dorky.

If you are making a mole for Mole Day and need ideas for a theme for it, or if you are making a Mole Day video, consider these ideas for mole characters. If you think of any other great ideas, put them in the guestbook at the bottom of the page.

Bruno Moles (Bruno Mars)
Moley Cyrus / Hanna Moletana (Miley Cyrus / Hanna Montana)
Napolean Dynamole (Napolean Dynamite)
Holy Moly (priest, nun, rabbi, ...)
Molechael Jackson (Michael Jackson)
Mole-bama (Obama)
Angelina Molie (Angelina Jolie)
Marilyn Moleroe (Marilyn Monroe) plus she has a mole!
Moledemort (Voldemort)
The Mole-sen Twins (the Olsen Twins)
Cheech Mole-in (Cheech Marin)
Drew Barrymole (Drew Barrymore)
Em-mole-em (Eminem)
Moledonna (Madonna)
Beyonce Moles (Beyonce Knowles)
Molan (Mulan)
Molechael Phelps (Michael Phelps)
Moley Ringwald (Molly Ringwald)
Demi Mole (Demi Moore)
Eli Moling (Eli Manning)
Mol'nique (Mo'Nique)
Nicki Molaj (Nicki Minaj)
Tim MolGraw (Tim McGraw)
Natalie Portmole (Natalie Portman)
The Little Mermole (The Little Mermaid)

When saying the pledge of allegiance to the U.S. flag, one faces the flag. If no flag is present, one should face our nation's capitol, Washington D.C. When saying the pledge to the mole, a real mole is usually not present. So, one should bend over and face the earth!

I pledge allegiance to the mole, and to the science from which it comes, one SI unit, extremely divisible, with micromoles and millimoles for all.
(By: R. Thomas Myers - Kent State University, Kent, OH)

I pledge allegiance to the mole, to the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry, and to the atomic mass for which it stands, one number, most divisible, with atoms and molecules for all.
(By: Sylvia Cooper - Morgantown High School, Morgantown, WV)

Avogadro's Law is a principle stated in 1811 by the Italian chemist Amedeo Avogadro (1776-1856). (That's the handsome Avogadro to the right.)
"equal volumes of gases at the same temperature and pressure contain the same number of molecules regardless of their chemical nature and physical properties".

This number (Avogadro's number) is 6.023 X 1023.
It is the number of molecules of any gas present in a volume of 22.41 L and is the same for the lightest gas (hydrogen) as for a heavy gas such as carbon dioxide or bromine.

Avogadro's number (conventionally represented by N' in chemical calculations) is now considered to be the number of atoms present in 12 grams of the carbon-12 isotope (one mole of carbon 12) and can be applied to any type of chemical entity.

Why is the mole significant? What can we do with it?

All colors and styles customizable. All designs available in both men's and women's styles.

• Create a Mole Day board game: Mole-opoly, a Chemisty Land (Candy Land), etc.
• Write an original Mole Day song
• Make a chemistry mole-bile to hang from the ceiling
• Scavenger Hunt - Create a list of household items using the chemical compound. Such as: Something that contains NaHCO3
• Write a Mole Day poem - Ode to the Mole
• Create a Mole Day comic book
• Design a Mole Day flag - hold a flag raising at the school's flagpole.
• Create a fake newspaper with all articles chemistry or mole related. Include some made up articles, ads, obituaries, movie reviews, etc

• Mole Day Spoof - spoof a movie or TV show. For instance, Mole Day the movie, as spoof of Groundhog Day.
• Mole Day Man on the Street - acting like a reporter, as random people Mole Day questions.
• Mole Day Daily Show Corespondent - do a news report in the style of Comedy Central's The Daily Show (keep it clean)
• Mole Day Game Show - Wheel of Fortune, Price is Right, Are You Smarter Than a 9th Grade Chemistry Student?
• Mole Day Reality Show - spoof a reality show (maybe the Mole?) by having scientific characters - Salt, Oxygen, Water, Noble Gas, etc. The challenges could be exposure to heat, electricity, water, acids, etc.
• Mole Day Youtube Style - do a parody of a famous youtube video like One World, Human Space Invaders, or OK, Here It Goes Again

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This page is dedicated to Mr. Geuther who was coolest chemistry teacher ever. Enjoy retirement! A portion of each sale on this page is sent to DonorsChoose.org, an online charity that makes it easy to help students in need through school donations.