What information is needed to calculate the average atomic mass of an element?
A. The relative abundance of its isotope**
B. The charge on each isotope
C. The total amount of the element in the sample or in nature
D. The number of protons in each isotope
I agree
The correct answer is A. The relative abundance of its isotope.
To calculate the average atomic mass of an element, you need to know the isotopes of the element and their respective relative abundances. An isotope is a variant of an element that has the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons. The relative abundance refers to the percentage or fraction of each isotope present in a naturally occurring sample of the element.
By multiplying the mass of each isotope by its relative abundance, you can calculate the weighted average of the isotopes to find the average atomic mass of the element. The charge on each isotope (B), the total amount of the element in the sample or in nature (C), and the number of protons in each isotope (D) are not directly relevant to determining the average atomic mass.
To calculate the average atomic mass of an element, you need the following information:
A. The relative abundance of its isotope: Isotopes are atoms of the same element that have different numbers of neutrons. Each isotope has a different mass number. The relative abundance refers to the percentage or proportion of each isotope present in a sample of the element. This information is crucial because the average atomic mass takes into account the contribution of each isotope to the overall average.
B. The charge on each isotope: The charge on the isotopes is not necessary for calculating the average atomic mass. The average atomic mass is derived from the mass of the isotopes, not their charges.
C. The total amount of the element in the sample or in nature: The total amount of the element in the sample or in nature is not directly needed to calculate the average atomic mass. The average atomic mass represents the weighted average of the masses of the isotopes, based on their relative abundance.
D. The number of protons in each isotope: The number of protons in each isotope is not directly relevant to calculating the average atomic mass. The average atomic mass is determined solely by the masses and relative abundances of the isotopes of the element.
In summary, the answer is A. The relative abundance of its isotope is the most important information needed to calculate the average atomic mass of an element.