Atomic mass: Difference between revisions

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'''Atomic mass''' (formerly  '''atomic weight''') is the [[mass]] of an atom expressed in [[unified atomic mass unit]]s (u). That is, an atomic mass is expressed relative to a twelfth of the mass of the <sup>12</sup>C atom. Therefore, atomic masses are referred to sometimes as ''relative atomic masses'', symbol ''A''<sub>r</sub>(X), where X is an [[isotope]].
In [[chemistry]], the '''atomic mass''' (formerly  '''atomic weight''') is the [[mass]] of an atom expressed in [[unified atomic mass unit]]s (u).  


Different isotopes of an atom are characterized by a different numbers of neutrons in the atomic nucleus. Hence, different isotopes of the same atom have different masses. For instance, [[carbon]]
Different isotopes of an atom are characterized by a different numbers of neutrons in the atomic nucleus. Hence, different isotopes of the same atom have different masses. For instance, [[carbon]]
has two stable isotopes and one radioactive&mdash;but long-lived&mdash;isotope. Their respective  masses are, <sup>12</sup>C: 12 u,  <sup>13</sup>C: 13.0033548378 u, and <sup>14</sup>C: 14.003241988 u. The mass of <sup>12</sup>C is by definition the integral number 12.
has two stable isotopes and one radioactive&mdash;but long-lived&mdash;isotope. Their respective  atomic masses are, <sup>12</sup>C: 12 u,  <sup>13</sup>C: 13.0033548378 u, and <sup>14</sup>C: 14.003241988 u. The atomic mass of <sup>12</sup>C is by definition the integral number 12.


In [[high resolution spectroscopy]] masses of different isotopes are observed in the spectra, and in this field computations are usually done for [[molecule]]s consisting of well defined isotopes. In [[chemistry]] this is different. Chemicals used in the laboratory are in general isotopic mixtures: their molecules consist of different isotopes of one and the same element. The proportion of different isotopes in the molecule is determined by the ''natural abundance'' of the isotope.
In [[high resolution spectroscopy]] masses of different isotopes are observed in the spectra, and in this field computations are usually done for [[molecule]]s consisting of well defined isotopes. In [[chemistry]] this is different. Chemicals used in the laboratory are in general isotopic mixtures: their molecules consist of different isotopes of one and the same element. The proportion of different isotopes in the molecule is determined by the ''natural abundance'' of the isotope.
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34.96885271 u) and <sup>37</sup>Cl (with a mass of  36.96590260 u). Of all the chlorine atoms occurring on earth  75.78 % is of the lighter kind, while  24.22 % is the heavier isotope.
34.96885271 u) and <sup>37</sup>Cl (with a mass of  36.96590260 u). Of all the chlorine atoms occurring on earth  75.78 % is of the lighter kind, while  24.22 % is the heavier isotope.
The average mass of the Cl atom is thus (34.96885271*75.78 + 36.96590260*24.22)/100 = 35.453 u.
The average mass of the Cl atom is thus (34.96885271*75.78 + 36.96590260*24.22)/100 = 35.453 u.
This average mass is called the '''standard atomic weight'''. (For historical reasons the term "weight" is still used here).
 
The atomic mass averaged over isotopic abundances is called the '''relative atomic mass''' or '''standard atomic weight'''. (For historical reasons the term "weight" is used here. Instead of average atomic mass, as one would expect, one uses relative atomic mass, also for historical reasons). For the standard atomic weight (= relative atomic mass), the symbol ''A''<sub>r</sub>(X) is used, where X is an [[isotope]].


Below a table is given for the standard atomic weights. Brackets [ ] indicate the mass number of the most stable isotope. CS stands for chemical symbol. ''Z'' is the [[atomic number]]. The numbers in this table are from the web site of [[NIST]]:
Below a table is given for the standard atomic weights. Brackets [ ] indicate the mass number of the most stable isotope. CS stands for chemical symbol. ''Z'' is the [[atomic number]]. The numbers in this table are from the web site of [[NIST]]:

Revision as of 11:24, 2 December 2007

In chemistry, the atomic mass (formerly atomic weight) is the mass of an atom expressed in unified atomic mass units (u).

Different isotopes of an atom are characterized by a different numbers of neutrons in the atomic nucleus. Hence, different isotopes of the same atom have different masses. For instance, carbon has two stable isotopes and one radioactive—but long-lived—isotope. Their respective atomic masses are, 12C: 12 u, 13C: 13.0033548378 u, and 14C: 14.003241988 u. The atomic mass of 12C is by definition the integral number 12.

In high resolution spectroscopy masses of different isotopes are observed in the spectra, and in this field computations are usually done for molecules consisting of well defined isotopes. In chemistry this is different. Chemicals used in the laboratory are in general isotopic mixtures: their molecules consist of different isotopes of one and the same element. The proportion of different isotopes in the molecule is determined by the natural abundance of the isotope. Take chlorine as an example. This element has two stable isotopes:  35Cl (with a mass of 34.96885271 u) and 37Cl (with a mass of 36.96590260 u). Of all the chlorine atoms occurring on earth 75.78 % is of the lighter kind, while 24.22 % is the heavier isotope. The average mass of the Cl atom is thus (34.96885271*75.78 + 36.96590260*24.22)/100 = 35.453 u.

The atomic mass averaged over isotopic abundances is called the relative atomic mass or standard atomic weight. (For historical reasons the term "weight" is used here. Instead of average atomic mass, as one would expect, one uses relative atomic mass, also for historical reasons). For the standard atomic weight (= relative atomic mass), the symbol Ar(X) is used, where X is an isotope.

Below a table is given for the standard atomic weights. Brackets [ ] indicate the mass number of the most stable isotope. CS stands for chemical symbol. Z is the atomic number. The numbers in this table are from the web site of NIST: physics reference data.

External link

Article about Atomic Weight

Standard Atomic Weights of the Elements
ZCS Mass ZCS Mass ZCS Mass
1 H 1.00794(7) 38 Sr 87.62(1) 75 Re 186.207(1)
2 He 4.002602(2) 39 Y 88.90585(2) 76 Os 190.23(3)
3 Li 6.941(2) 40 Zr 91.224(2) 77 Ir 192.217(3)
4 Be 9.012182(3) 41 Nb 92.90638(2) 78 Pt 195.078(2)
5 B 10.811(7) 42 Mo 95.94(2) 79 Au 196.96655(2)
6 C 12.0107(8) 43 Tc [98] 80 Hg 200.59(2)
7 N 14.0067(2) 44 Ru 101.07(2) 81 Tl 204.3833(2)
8 O 15.9994(3) 45 Rh 102.90550(2) 82 Pb 207.2(1)
9 F 18.9984032(5) 46 Pd 106.42(1) 83 Bi 208.98038(2)
10 Ne 20.1797(6) 47 Ag 107.8682(2) 84 Po [209]
11 Na 22.989770(2) 48 Cd 112.411(8) 85 At [210]
12 Mg 24.3050(6) 49 In 114.818(3) 86 Rn [222]
13 Al 26.981538(2) 50 Sn 118.710(7) 87 Fr [223]
14 Si 28.0855(3) 51 Sb 121.760(1) 88 Ra [226]
15 P 30.973761(2) 52 Te 127.60(3) 89 Ac [227]
16 S 32.065(5) 53 I 126.90447(3) 90 Th 232.0381(1)
17 Cl 35.453(2) 54 Xe 131.293(6) 91 Pa 231.03588(2)
18 Ar 39.948(1) 55 Cs 132.90545(2) 92 U 238.02891(3)
19 K 39.0983(1) 56 Ba 137.327(7) 93 Np [237]
20 Ca 40.078(4) 57 La 138.9055(2) 94 Pu [244]
21 Sc 44.955910(8) 58 Ce 140.116(1) 95 Am [243]
22 Ti 47.867(1) 59 Pr 140.90765(2) 96 Cm [247]
23 V 50.9415(1) 60 Nd 144.24(3) 97 Bk [247]
24 Cr 51.9961(6) 61 Pm [145] 98 Cf [251]
25 Mn 54.938049(9) 62 Sm 150.36(3) 99 Es [252]
26 Fe 55.845(2) 63 Eu 151.964(1) 100 Fm [257]
27 Co 58.933200(9) 64 Gd 157.25(3) 101 Md [258]
28 Ni 58.6934(2) 65 Tb 158.92534(2) 102 No [259]
29 Cu 63.546(3) 66 Dy 162.500(1) 103 Lr [262]
30 Zn 65.409(4) 67 Ho 164.93032(2) 104 Rf [261]
31 Ga 69.723(1) 68 Er 167.259(3) 105 Db [262]
32 Ge 72.64(1) 69 Tm 168.93421(2) 106 Sg [266]
33 As 74.92160(2) 70 Yb 173.04(3) 107 Bh [264]
34 Se 78.96(3) 71 Lu 174.967(1) 108 Hs [277]
35 Br 79.904(1) 72 Hf 178.49(2) 109 Mt [268]
36 Kr 83.798(2) 73 Ta 180.9479(1) 110 Ds [281]
37 Rb 85.4678(3) 74 W 183.84(1) 111 Rg [272]
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