To determine the atomic mass of an element, the masses of all the naturally occurring isotopes of that element are averaged together. Why are some isotopes more heavily weighted than others?
They occur more frequently in nature.
They have more protons.
They have a higher number of orbitals.
They have a higher mass.
They occur more frequently in nature.
The correct answer is: They occur more frequently in nature.
The atomic mass of an element is determined by the average masses of all its naturally occurring isotopes. Isotopes are atoms of the same element that have different numbers of neutrons in their nuclei. Some isotopes are more abundant than others in nature. This means they occur more frequently in the natural environment. Therefore, their masses are more heavily weighted in the calculation of atomic mass.