Hi

I am working on a question which discusses ununhexium atomic number 116 atom weight 292. This isotope undergoes 7 alpha decay reactions. I have calculated that after seven reactions the product would be 102 nobelium.
I cannot understand how the atomic weight can be right ???

I have calculated 292- 28 (7x4)= 264
I have calculated 116- 14 (7x2)= 102
leaving me with an isotope 264 no 102 Is this correct.??

I have looked around but cannot find an isotope with the same atom weight ..any input appreciated..

Thank you

Atom ant

You have calculated the atomic number and atomic mass correctly if it undergoes seven alpha emissions sequentially with no other transititions. I looked on www.webelements.com and found no 102264No either. However, keep in mind two things.
1. webelements has a note that they don't list all of the isotopes of an element. They give a Korean site that is a more complete list.
2. The chemistry of No is not nearly as well known as that of the first 92 elements of the periodic table. The fact that you don't find that particular isotope mentioned doesn't mean your calculations are wrong.

I suspected that may be the case, but I thought I would run my calculation past the experts...

Thank you for your help & time...

You're welcome! It's always a good idea to double-check your calculations and seek the input of experts when you come across something unexpected. In this case, the fact that the isotope you calculated doesn't appear in the known isotopes of nobelium doesn't necessarily mean your calculations are wrong. As I mentioned earlier, there could be isotopes that are not listed on the website you checked. Additionally, the chemistry of nobelium is not as well-studied as other elements, so there may still be some unknown isotopes or other properties of nobelium. If you have any further questions or need assistance with anything else, feel free to ask.