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Why can atoms have more than one mass number but only one atomic number?
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
Each atom exists in nature with varying numbers of neutrons (isotopes), but each atom has a definite number of protons (atomic number).
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
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An atom of carbon whose mass number is 14 differs from an atom of carbon whose mass number is 12 in that it has?
neutrons, subtract the atomic number from the mass number to find the number of neutrons, atomic number is the number is the amount of protons, atomic mass is the average mass of one mole of atoms. each particle wieghing one amu (atomic mass unit)
Difference between atomic weight and mass number?
Atomic mass (ma) is the mass of an atom. A single atom has a set number of protons and neutrons, so the mass is unequivocal (won't change) and is the sum of the number of protons and neutrons in the atom. ... Atomic weight is a weighted average of the mass of all the atoms of an element, based on the abundance of isotopes.
Is the atomic mass equal to the number of atoms in the elements?
The mass number of an isotope of an element is equal to its atomic mass number. However, the atomic weight of an element is a weighted average of the isotopes that occur in the element in nature. Because almost all elements have more than one naturally occurring isotope (if they have any), the atomic weights of most elements are not integers, as mass numbers always are.
What is atomic number and mass number represent?
The atomic number is the total number of protons in the nucleus of an Atom and for any particular Atom this number is invariable. The mass number is the total weight of both protons and neutrons in the nucleus. Isotopes exist because the number of neutrons contained within the nucleus of 'any given Atom' varies. Hence carbon dating and also isotope dating of many sorts are made possible.
Is the mass number the number of protons and neutrons?
No, The atomic mass is the number of protons plus the number of neutrons (the mass of the atom's nucleus). Note that the atomic mass is therefore different in cases where there are different isotopes of the element (because the nucleus will have a different number of neutrons for each isotope). The atomic number is the number of protons (or electrons in the atom's neutral state).
What has more mass 100 hydrogen atoms 4 sulfur atoms or 1 lanthanum atom?
100 Hydrogen atoms have an atomic mass of 100.794, 4 Sulfur atoms have an atomic mass of 128.26, and 1 Lanthanum atom has an atomic mass of 138.90547.
What exactly is an isotope?
One of two or more atoms having the same atomic number but different mass numbers.
What is it called when atoms of the same element that have a different atomic weight?
Atoms with the same atomic number (number of protons), but different mass numbers (i.e. different mass) are called isotopes. The difference in mass is due to different numbers of neutrons. For more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isotope
Why can an atom have more then one mass number but only one atomic number?
First of all, an atom can not literally have either more than one mass number or more than one atomic number. Different atoms of the same element can have different mass numbers but the same atomic number because the atomic number is the defining characteristic of an element, but many elements have isotopes that have different numbers of neutrons in their nuclei and therefore different mass numbers: Mass numbers are the sum of the numbers of protons and neutrons in the nucleus.
An atom of carbon whose mass number is 14 differs from an atom of carbon whose mass number is 12 in that it has?
neutrons, subtract the atomic number from the mass number to find the number of neutrons, atomic number is the number is the amount of protons, atomic mass is the average mass of one mole of atoms. each particle wieghing one amu (atomic mass unit)
Can an atom of two different elements have the same mass number?
Yes. The mass number is basic to the different elements, even more useful than the atomic number. (Unless it is an isotope. Isotopes have a different amount of neutrons than the basic element atom which makes a difference in mass number too. So, a difference in mass numbers doesn't always mean it is a different element.)
Difference between atomic weight and mass number?
Atomic mass (ma) is the mass of an atom. A single atom has a set number of protons and neutrons, so the mass is unequivocal (won't change) and is the sum of the number of protons and neutrons in the atom. ... Atomic weight is a weighted average of the mass of all the atoms of an element, based on the abundance of isotopes.
Carbon atom with atomic no of 6 and atomic mass of 12 considered isotopes of one another?
No. A carbon atom has both an atomic number and an atomic mass. All carbon atoms have an atomic number of 6. The most common carbon atom has an atomic mass of 12. See the Related Questions for more information about carbon, isotopes and atomic number and atomic mass.Go to Answers.com and punch in "carbon isotopes" and it will show you various isotopes and the atomic mass (u) associated with each (shown as isotopic mass).
Atomic mass of manganese?
The atomic number of manganese is 25. The atomic weight of Mn is 54.93805 grams per mole.See the Web Links to the left of this answer for a periodic table with more information about this element!25
What is the atomic number and atomic mass of this element?
Atomic number is the number of protons. Atomic mass is (mostly) the sum of the masses of the protons and neutrons (more or less).
Is the atomic mass equal to the number of atoms in the elements?
The mass number of an isotope of an element is equal to its atomic mass number. However, the atomic weight of an element is a weighted average of the isotopes that occur in the element in nature. Because almost all elements have more than one naturally occurring isotope (if they have any), the atomic weights of most elements are not integers, as mass numbers always are.
How do you determine how many neutrons are in an atom?
Look at the atomic mass versus the atomic number. Subtract the atomic number from the atomic mass, and you are left with an approximation of how many neutrons there are. It is an approximation, because atoms can have more than one isotope; isotope being a version of the atom with a different number of neutrons. It is also an approximation, because the mass of the proton is not exactly the same as the mass of the neutron. For more information about isotopes and nuclides, take a look at the Related Link below.
