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Questions and Answers
What is isotopic abundance?
Isotopic abundance refers to the relative amount of each isotope of an element in a given sample, expressed as a percentage.
How is the average atomic mass calculated?
The average atomic mass is calculated as a weighted average of all the isotope masses, taking into account their percent abundances.
What influences the average atomic mass in a weighted average calculation?
In a weighted average calculation, the isotope with the greatest % abundance has the biggest influence on the average atomic mass.
What information is needed to calculate the average atomic mass?
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How does the average atomic mass differ from the mass of a specific isotope?
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Study Notes
Isotopes
- Two atoms are isotopes if they have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons.
- Isotopes are atoms of the same element with different atomic masses and different numbers of neutrons in their nuclei.
Comparing Isotopes of Magnesium
- Magnesium has three isotopes: 24Mg, 25Mg, and 26Mg.
- All three isotopes have 12 protons and 12 electrons, but differ in the number of neutrons: 12, 13, and 14 respectively.
- Each isotope has a unique atomic mass: 24 amu, 25 amu, and 26 amu.
Similarities and Differences between Isotopes of Magnesium
- Similarities: same number of protons, same number of electrons, and same appearance and chemical properties.
- Differences: different number of neutrons and different atomic masses.
Isotopic Abundance
- A sample of magnesium is a mixture of the three isotopes.
- Each isotope has its own isotopic abundance, expressed as a percentage of the whole mixture.
- The isotopic abundance is fixed, meaning every sample of the element in the universe has the same proportions of the isotopes.
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Description
Test your knowledge of isotopes and atomic mass with this quiz. Learn about the definition of isotopes and how they relate to the atomic mass of an element. Compare the isotopes of Magnesium and understand their differences in atomic mass and neutron count.
