Question detail
What is the contribution of an isotope with a mass of 14 amu and an abundance of 50% to the relative atomic mass of an element?
Try the question, check the answer, then read the explanation to understand the curriculum point.
At a glance
MCQ
Type
practice
Style
Topic
A simple model of the atom, symbols, relative atomic mass, electronic charge and isotopes
Question
- A. 7 amu
- B. 14 amu
- C. 28 amu
- D. 0 amu
Answer
7 amu
Explanation
The contribution is calculated as 0.50 * 14 amu = 7 amu.
Common mistake
Misunderstanding Isotope Contributions
Students often think that the relative atomic mass is simply the average of the isotopes' mass numbers without considering their percentage abundances.
To fix this, students should remember to multiply each isotope's mass number by its percentage abundance, sum these values, and then divide by the total percentage (100) to find the relative atomic mass. Keep the correction anchored to Relative atomic mass and avoid mixing it with nearby Unit 4.1 ideas.
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