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atomic weight are average atomic masses, the sum of the mass of each naturally occurring isotope of an element times its fractional abundance.

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All elements exist as isotopes in nature. This means that carbon has 6 protons, but some varieties have 6 neutrons and some may have 8. This would be denoted as carbon - 12 and carbon -14

A fractional abundance simply means, what is the mixture of these isotopes in nature. or the carbon example above, approx. 99% is the carbon -12 variety and less than 1 % is carbon-14.

When they are averaged together, based on this relative presence in nature, you get an average Atomic Mass of 12.011

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13y ago
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6mo ago

Fractional abundance refers to the proportion of a particular isotope relative to all isotopes of an element. It is expressed as a decimal or percentage and reflects the percentage of atoms that are a specific isotope out of all the isotopes present in a sample.

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Q: What is fractional abundance?
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How are pennies similar to isotopes?

how do you find the fractional abundance of an isotope?


The atomic mass of an atom is equal to the sum of the numbers of what?

The mass number of an atom is the average of all it's isotopes in ratio to how often an isotope occurs naturally (abundance). An isotope is a variant of an element that has a different number of neutrons, therefore causing the atom to have a different mass. The percent abundance of an isotope is converted to a fraction, and multiplied by the mass of the isotope. Then all the factional masses of different isotopes are added together. Atomic mass = (mass isotope 1)x(fractional natural abundance of isotope 1) + (mass isotope 2)x(fractional natural abundance of isotope 2) + (mass isotope 3)x(fractional natural abundance of isotope 3) For example: Hydrogen has 3 naturally occurring isotopes: Protium - Abundance - 99.985% (.99985) Mass - 1.0078 Deuterium - Abundance - .015% (.00015) Mass - 2.014 Tritium - Abundance - 0% (.000) Mass - 3.016 Atomic mass number of Hyrdogen = (.99985)(1.0078) + (.00015)(2.014) + (.000)(3.016) = 1.00795 Go look up the mass number of Hydrogen on the periodic table and it says 1.008


What is the fraction in calculating the average atomic weight of an element?

The fraction represents the abundance of each isotope of the element. It is calculated by multiplying the fractional abundance of each isotope by its atomic mass, then summing these products to obtain the average atomic weight.


Why do elements which exists as isotopes have fractional atomic mass?

Each isotope of an element has a different Atomic Mass, so an average is taken of all the isotopes, but the average is weighted because the natural abundance (%) of each isotope is factored in. If hydrogen-1 is much more abundant than deuterium and tritium, then the weighted average will be closer to 1 than 2 or 3 but not a whole number. The following equation shows how percent abundance factors into the weighted average. (atomic mass A)(X% abundance) + (atomic mass B)(Y% abundance)...=(weighted average of all isotopes of the element)(100% abundance)


Why electrolysis can be separate by fractional distillation?

Electrolysis is a process, fractional distillation another.

Related questions

How do you calculate the fractional abundance of Cl-37?

To calculate the fractional abundance of Cl-37, you need to know the total abundance of all chlorine isotopes and the abundance of Cl-37 specifically. The fractional abundance of Cl-37 can be calculated by dividing the abundance of Cl-37 by the total abundance of chlorine isotopes and then multiplying by 100 to express it as a percentage.


How are pennies similar to isotopes?

how do you find the fractional abundance of an isotope?


How ca you find the fractional abundance of an isotope?

Multiply number of x adn ave mass per x


How do you calculate the average mass of a naturally occurring element?

By multiplying the mass number of each naturally occurring isotope of the element by the fractional abundance of the same isotope, then adding all the resulting products.


A hypothetical element has two naturally occurring isotopes One isotope has a fractional abundance of 0.2568 and an isotopic mass of 37.62 amu The other isotope has a fractional abundance of 0.7432 an?

The mass of the other isotope can be calculated by setting up an equation: (0.2568 * 37.62) + (0.7432 * x) = average atomic mass. Solving for x gives the mass of the second isotope as 40.14 amu.


The atomic mass of an atom is equal to the sum of the numbers of what?

The mass number of an atom is the average of all it's isotopes in ratio to how often an isotope occurs naturally (abundance). An isotope is a variant of an element that has a different number of neutrons, therefore causing the atom to have a different mass. The percent abundance of an isotope is converted to a fraction, and multiplied by the mass of the isotope. Then all the factional masses of different isotopes are added together. Atomic mass = (mass isotope 1)x(fractional natural abundance of isotope 1) + (mass isotope 2)x(fractional natural abundance of isotope 2) + (mass isotope 3)x(fractional natural abundance of isotope 3) For example: Hydrogen has 3 naturally occurring isotopes: Protium - Abundance - 99.985% (.99985) Mass - 1.0078 Deuterium - Abundance - .015% (.00015) Mass - 2.014 Tritium - Abundance - 0% (.000) Mass - 3.016 Atomic mass number of Hyrdogen = (.99985)(1.0078) + (.00015)(2.014) + (.000)(3.016) = 1.00795 Go look up the mass number of Hydrogen on the periodic table and it says 1.008


What is the fraction in calculating the average atomic weight of an element?

The fraction represents the abundance of each isotope of the element. It is calculated by multiplying the fractional abundance of each isotope by its atomic mass, then summing these products to obtain the average atomic weight.


What is difference between fractional and rational numbers?

All rational numbers are fractional but all fractional numbers are not rational. For example, pi/2 is fractional but not rational.


What is the fractional notation for 21.3?

fractional notations of 0.85 is


What is a fractional portion?

A fractional portion is part of a whole portion


What is the fractional notation for 18.575?

write 18.575 in fractional notation


Why do elements which exists as isotopes have fractional atomic mass?

Each isotope of an element has a different Atomic Mass, so an average is taken of all the isotopes, but the average is weighted because the natural abundance (%) of each isotope is factored in. If hydrogen-1 is much more abundant than deuterium and tritium, then the weighted average will be closer to 1 than 2 or 3 but not a whole number. The following equation shows how percent abundance factors into the weighted average. (atomic mass A)(X% abundance) + (atomic mass B)(Y% abundance)...=(weighted average of all isotopes of the element)(100% abundance)