Moles to grams for Tris base is a multiplication by 121.136 g/mol. A mole weighs 121.136 g, 100 mmol weighs 12.1136 g, 10 mmol weighs 1.21136 g and a millimole is 121.136 mg. Those four figures cover most of what gets weighed out in practice, and the table below extends them from a micromole up to ten moles.
The figure comes from the formula. Tris base is 4 × 12.011 (C) + 11 × 1.008 (H) + 14.007 (N) + 3 × 15.999 (O), which is 121.136 g/mol, taking standard atomic weights, and every page here computes that sum rather than quoting it. Carbon makes up the largest share of the mass: 4 of the 19 atoms in a formula unit are carbon, and they account for 48.044 g of the 121.136 g, or 39.66% by mass. The derivation table below breaks the whole molecule down element by element.
Two habits make the weighed mass match the calculation. Weigh into a container you have tared rather than onto paper, because what stays behind on paper is a real loss — on a 100 mg weighing it is easily a percent. And when the target is under about 20 mg, weigh ten times that and dilute, since the absolute error of the balance does not shrink with the sample.
The buffer of molecular biology, working between pH 7 and 9. Its pKa moves with temperature, so a buffer set at 25 degrees C is not the same in the cold. At 121.136 g/mol it is heavier than 12 of the 21 organic compounds covered here, and that ranking matters more than it looks: octane has a molar mass of 114.232 g/mol, so a gram of it contains 6.04% more formula units than a gram of Tris base. Weigh by mass and you are not weighing equal amounts of substance.
Two practical things move the result. Purity below 100% means the weighed mass overstates how much compound you have — at 98% assay, 2.4227 g of every 121.136 g is not the compound — and any water picked up from the air does the same. Both are systematic, so they shift every solution made from that jar in the same direction.
The formula
n- The amount of Tris base you need, in moles
121.136- The molar mass of Tris base in g/mol, derived from its formula
m- The mass to weigh out, in grams
How it works, step by step
- Enter the amount you need, in moles.
- It is multiplied by 121.136 g/mol.
- The result is the mass to weigh out, also given in milligrams.
- Weigh into a tared container; anything left in the boat is a real loss from the amount you calculated.
Worked examples
5 mmol of Tris base in grams
5 mmol × 121.136 g/mol = 0.60568 g, which is 605.68 mg. Doubling the amount doubles the mass to 1.21136 g, because the relationship is a plain proportion once the molar mass is fixed.
250 mmol of Tris base in grams
250 mmol × 121.136 g/mol = 30.284 g, which is 30,284 mg. Doubling the amount doubles the mass to 60.568 g, because the relationship is a plain proportion once the molar mass is fixed.
2 mol of Tris base in grams
2 mol × 121.136 g/mol = 242.272 g, which is 242,272 mg. Doubling the amount doubles the mass to 484.544 g, because the relationship is a plain proportion once the molar mass is fixed.
How to read your score
Frequently asked questions
What is the molar mass of Tris base (C4H11NO3)?
It is 121.136 g/mol. That is the sum of the standard atomic weights of every atom in the formula: 4 × 12.011 (C) + 11 × 1.008 (H) + 14.007 (N) + 3 × 15.999 (O). One mole of Tris base therefore weighs 121.136 g, and a gram of it is 8.2552 mmol.
What percentage of Tris base is carbon?
39.66% by mass. Each formula unit contains 4 carbon atoms contributing 48.044 g of the 121.136 g total, so 100 g of Tris base contains 39.66 g of carbon and a kilogram contains 396.61 g of it.
How many grams is one mole of Tris base?
121.136 g, by definition of the molar mass. Two moles is 242.272 g and half a mole is 60.568 g.
How many grams is 0.1 mol, and how many milligrams is 1 mmol?
0.1 mol of Tris base is 12.1136 g. One millimole is 121.136 mg and one micromole is 121.136 µg, which is the range most bench work sits in.
How do I weigh out an amount too small for my balance?
Weigh a larger mass and dilute it. To get 1.211 mg of Tris base, weigh 12.11 mg into 100 mL, then take 10 mL of that: the absolute error of the balance stays the same while the amount delivered falls by a factor of ten.
Should I use the hydrate or the anhydrous molar mass?
This page is the anhydrous form, C4H11NO3, at 121.136 g/mol. If your jar is the other form the molar mass differs and so will every mass you weigh, so check the label before using the figure. Salts that are sold as hydrates weigh more per mole because the water is part of the crystal.
Moles to grams reference for Tris base
| Element | Atoms | Atomic weight | Contribution (g/mol) | By mass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carbon (C) | 4 | 12.011 | 48.044 | 39.66% |
| Oxygen (O) | 3 | 15.999 | 47.997 | 39.62% |
| Nitrogen (N) | 1 | 14.007 | 14.007 | 11.56% |
| Hydrogen (H) | 11 | 1.008 | 11.088 | 9.153% |
| Total — one mole of Tris base | 121.136 | 100% |
Standard atomic weights, IUPAC 2021. The contribution column is atoms × atomic weight, and the total is the molar mass this page uses: 121.136 g/mol.
| Wanted | Weigh (g) | Weigh (mg) | With 2% over (g) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 µmol | 0.000121136 | 0.121136 | 0.000123559 |
| 10 µmol | 0.00121136 | 1.21136 | 0.00123559 |
| 100 µmol | 0.0121136 | 12.1136 | 0.0123559 |
| 1 mmol | 0.121136 | 121.136 | 0.123559 |
| 10 mmol | 1.21136 | 1211.36 | 1.23559 |
| 50 mmol | 6.0568 | 6056.8 | 6.17794 |
| 100 mmol | 12.1136 | 12,113.6 | 12.3559 |
| 250 mmol | 30.284 | 30,284 | 30.8897 |
| 500 mmol | 60.568 | 60,568 | 61.7794 |
| 750 mmol | 90.852 | 90,852 | 92.669 |
| 1 mol | 121.136 | 121,136 | 123.559 |
| 2 mol | 242.272 | 242,272 | 247.117 |
| 5 mol | 605.68 | 605,680 | 617.794 |
| 10 mol | 1211.36 | 1211360.000000 | 1235.59 |
Weigh is the amount multiplied by 121.136 g/mol. The last column carries a 2% allowance, which is what you take when some of the solid will be left in the weighing boat.
| Compound | Formula | Molar mass (g/mol) | Millimoles in 1 g |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toluene | C7H8 | 92.141 | 10.853 |
| Creatinine | C4H7N3O | 113.12 | 8.8402 |
| Octane | C8H18 | 114.232 | 8.7541 |
| Tris base (this page) | C4H11NO3 | 121.136 | 8.2552 |
| Paracetamol | C8H9NO2 | 151.165 | 6.6153 |
| Uric acid | C5H4N4O3 | 168.112 | 5.9484 |
| Glucose | C6H12O6 | 180.156 | 5.5507 |
Ordered by molar mass. The last column is 1000/M, which is the number a weighed gram actually gives you.