A G/mol ↔ Daltons calculator helps you instantly switch between two fundamental units of molecular mass. The unit grams per mole ( g/mol ) is frequently used in chemistry and represents the mass of one mole of a substance. A mole is a specific quantity (Avogadro's number) of particles, so g/mol is a macroscopic measurement.
On the other hand, the Dalton (Da), also known as the unified atomic mass unit (amu), is used more often in biochemistry and mass spectrometry to describe the mass of single molecules and large biomolecules like proteins. Despite their different names and common areas of use, these two units are numerically equivalent. The calculator simplifies this by showing that the value for mass remains the same regardless of which unit you choose. This helps avoid confusion when reading scientific literature from different disciplines.
formula
The conversion between grams per mole and Daltons is a direct one-to-one relationship. This means that one Dalton is defined as being exactly equal to one gram per mole. Therefore, no complex calculation is needed to switch between them.
The formulas for the conversion are:
Da = g/mol
g/mol = Da
This means if a molecule has a mass of 500 g/mol , its mass is also 500 Da. You simply change the unit name without altering the number.
Common Molecular Weight Conversions
The following table shows the molecular weights of several common substances in both g/mol and Daltons to illustrate their direct equivalence. This table can serve as a quick reference for these important molecules.
| Substance | Molecular Weight ( g/mol ) | Molecular Weight (Daltons, Da) |
| Water (H₂O) | 18.015 | 18.015 |
| Glucose (C₆H₁₂O₆) | 180.16 | 180.16 |
| Sodium Chloride (NaCl) | 58.44 | 58.44 |
| Glycine (Amino Acid) | 75.07 | 75.07 |
| Human Insulin (Protein) | 5808 | 5808 |
| Hemoglobin (Protein) | ~64,500 | ~64,500 |
Example
Let's look at a simple example to demonstrate the conversion. Imagine a researcher is studying a protein and a mass spectrometry report lists its molecular weight as 25,000 Daltons. The researcher needs to use this value in a chemical equation where molar mass is typically expressed in g/mol .
- Identify the known value:
- Molecular Weight = 25,000 Da
- Apply the conversion formula:
- g/mol = Da
- Substitute the value:
- g/mol = 25,000
- The result is:
- The molar mass of the protein is 25,000 g/mol .
As you can see, no calculation is necessary. You just change the unit from Daltons to grams per mole. The numerical value stays the same.
Most Common FAQs
The use of two different names, g/mol and Dalton, stems from historical and disciplinary conventions. The unit g/mol is rooted in classical chemistry, which deals with macroscopic quantities like moles. The Dalton (named after John Dalton, a pioneer of atomic theory) and the related atomic mass unit (amu) were developed in the context of physics and mass spectrometry to talk about the mass of individual atoms and molecules. Biochemists and molecular biologists often prefer Daltons because they work with individual macromolecules.
A kilodalton (kDa) is simply a larger unit derived from the Dalton. The prefix "kilo-" means one thousand. Therefore, one kilodalton is equal to 1,000 Daltons. Scientists use this unit to express the mass of very large molecules, like proteins and nucleic acids, in a more manageable way. For example, a protein with a mass of 50,000 Da can also be described as having a mass of 50 kDa.
Yes, for most practical purposes, the atomic mass unit (amu) and the Dalton (Da) are considered the same. The Dalton was proposed to replace the amu to resolve some minor historical differences in its definition. Today, the unified atomic mass unit (u) and the Dalton (Da) are used interchangeably and are both defined as one-twelfth of the mass of a neutral carbon-12 atom.