What is the difference between the mass number and the atomic number of an element?

Answer 1

The difference between the atomic number and the mass number is that the atomic number is the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom of that element. The mass number is the total number of protons and neutrons in the atom.
Atomic number = number of protons

Mass number = total number of protons + neutrons

Answer 2

The atomic number of an element is the number of protons in each atom of the element and is the same for all isotopes of an element. Mass number applies only to isotopes and is the sum of the numbers of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of each atom of the isotope.

Answer 3

• atomic number = number of protons in the nucleus of an atom
• mass number = sum of the number of protons and neutrons in an atom
• isotopic Atomic Mass = mass number of an atom of a specific isotope of the element adjusted for the nuclear binding energy "mass defect", this is that atom's actual mass
• atomic mass = weighted average of isotopic atomic masses of all isotopes in a natural sample of the element

Answer 4

The atomic number means how many protons are in the element. The mass is the combined number of the protons and neutrons together.

Answer 5

We make atomic number by number of protons in a atom. We make mass number by total of both protons and neutrons.

Answer 6

Atomic mass is the mass of an atom in atomic mass units, and includes protons, neutrons, and electrons; and atomic number is the number of protons in the nucleus of the atom.

Answer 7

Mass number is the total number of protons and number of neutrons.

Atomic mass is the total mass of protons and neutrons

Answer 8

We can find atomic mass and mass number in chemical elements. Atomic mass is about weight of the atom. Mass number is about total of neutrons and protons.