You discover a chunk of white shiny metal and want to know what it is made of. So, you have it analyzed by mass spectrometry and you see two peaks of different heights, according to the data shown below:

Peak 1
- mass (amu): 106.90509
-relative peak height (%): 53.875%

Peak 2
-mass (amu): 108.90476
-relative peak height (%): 46.125%

Calculate the atomic mass of this metal.
I got 107.83 amu.

Based on your answers to question 9, do you think that the chunk of metal could come from outer space? Explain why or why not. Please mention at least one likely chemical identity of the unknown metal (my answer for this one is Ag).

I don't know if the chunk of metal could come from outer space? Please explain this.

well silver usually is found in mines but if you are asking original origin I suppose everything sort of comes from outer space.

To calculate the atomic mass of the metal, you need to multiply the mass of each peak by its relative peak height in percentage. Then, you sum up these values to obtain the atomic mass of the metal.

For Peak 1:
Mass (amu) = 106.90509
Relative peak height (%) = 53.875%

(106.90509 amu) x (0.53875) = 57.57 amu

For Peak 2:
Mass (amu) = 108.90476
Relative peak height (%) = 46.125%

(108.90476 amu) x (0.46125) = 50.20 amu

To find the atomic mass of the metal, add the masses calculated above:

57.57 amu + 50.20 amu = 107.77 amu

Hence, the atomic mass of the metal is 107.77 amu, which is slightly different from the value you obtained (107.83 amu).

Regarding whether the chunk of metal could come from outer space, it is difficult to make a definitive conclusion based solely on the information provided. However, one possible indication of extraterrestrial origin is the presence of isotopes with unique or rare atomic masses. If the metal contains isotopes that are not commonly found on Earth, it could suggest that it originated from outer space. Additionally, the presence of certain elements or compounds such as silver (Ag) can also hint at the possibility of extraterrestrial origin. However, further analysis and comparison with known meteorite compositions would be necessary for a more accurate determination.