* One mole is equal to 6.022 x 10^23 particles of a substance. This number is known as Avogadro's number.
* The particles can be atoms, molecules, ions, or any other type of elementary entity.
* The mass of one mole of a substance is equal to its atomic or molecular weight expressed in grams. For example, one mole of carbon atoms weighs 12.01 grams.
Think of it like this: A dozen means 12, a gross means 144, and a mole means 6.022 x 10^23. It's a convenient way to count extremely large numbers of tiny particles.