Overview
Atomic mass is a fundamental concept in chemistry that represents the average mass of an element's isotopes. It is measured in atomic mass units (amu) and is crucial for understanding how elements behave in chemical reactions. The atomic mass of an element is influenced by the presence of isotopes, ...
Key Terms
Example: The atomic mass of carbon is approximately 12 amu.
Example: Carbon-12 and Carbon-14 are isotopes of carbon.
Example: The atomic mass is a weighted average of all isotopes.
Example: Mass spectrometry can determine the atomic mass of an element.
Example: The abundance of Carbon-12 is about 98.9%.
Example: Oxygen is an element with the atomic number 8.
Related Topics
Molecular Weight
The weight of a molecule calculated from the atomic masses of its constituent atoms.
intermediateChemical Bonding
The study of how atoms combine to form molecules, influenced by atomic mass.
intermediateStoichiometry
The calculation of reactants and products in chemical reactions, relying on atomic mass.
intermediateKey Concepts
Atomic Mass Unit (amu)IsotopesWeighted AverageMeasurement Techniques