1. What Is Molecular Weight Conversion?

Molecular weight conversion between g/mol and kDa is essential in biochemistry and molecular biology. Kilodalton (kDa) is a unit equal to 1000 daltons, commonly used to express the mass of proteins, nucleic acids, and other large molecules.

2. How Does The Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the simple conversion formula:

Where:

• \( MW \) — Molecular weight in grams per mole (g/mol)
• \( MW_{kDa} \) — Molecular weight in kilodaltons (kDa)

Explanation: Since 1 kDa equals 1000 daltons, and 1 dalton equals 1 g/mol, converting from g/mol to kDa simply requires dividing by 1000.

3. Importance Of Molecular Weight Conversion

Details: Accurate molecular weight conversion is crucial for protein characterization, gel electrophoresis, molecular sizing, and various biochemical calculations where standard units differ between applications.

4. Using The Calculator

Tips: Enter the molecular weight in g/mol. The value must be a positive number. The calculator will automatically convert it to kDa.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is the relationship between daltons and g/mol?
A: 1 dalton = 1 g/mol. They are equivalent units for expressing molecular mass.

Q2: Why use kDa instead of g/mol for proteins?
A: kDa provides more manageable numbers for large biomolecules. For example, a 65,000 g/mol protein is more conveniently expressed as 65 kDa.

Q3: Can I convert kDa back to g/mol?
A: Yes, simply multiply the kDa value by 1000 to get g/mol.

Q4: Is this conversion exact?
A: Yes, the conversion is mathematically exact since 1 kDa is defined as 1000 daltons.

Q5: What is the typical molecular weight range for proteins in kDa?
A: Most proteins range from about 10 kDa (small peptides) to over 1000 kDa (large complexes like ribosomes).