ATOMIC WEIGHT AND ATOMIC MASS UNIT

(From College Chemistry by J.L. Rosenberg, L.M. Epstein, and P.J. Krieger)
1. What is atomic weight?

2. 12 grams of carbon-12 contain approximately 6.022×1023 atoms. What is the value of one
atomic mass unit (amu or u) in grams?
m 12 = 12 amu (exactly)
C
1 1 12 g
1 amu =
12
×m 12C =12 × 23 = 1.66×10−24 g
6.022×10
3. Although there is only one naturally occurring isotope of iodine, 127I, the atomic mass of
iodine given in the modern periodic table is 126.90447, but not 127. Explain.

4. At one time there was a chemical atomic mass scale based on the assignment of the value
16.0000 to naturally occurring oxygen. What would have been the atomic weight, on such a
table, of silver?
mass of the “avg.” Ag atom on the old scale mass of the “avg.” Ag atom on the new scale
=
mass of 16O atom on the old scale mass of 16O atom on the new scale

X amu 107.8682 amu

= A.W. of Ag on the old scale = 107.8722 amu
16 amu (exactly) 15.9994 amu
5. On the old atomic mass scale used by physicists, the mass of oxygen-16 atom was assigned
to be exactly 16 amu. What would be the atomic weight of magnesium on that scale?
mass of the “avg.” Mg atom on the old scale mass of the “avg.” Mg atom on the new scale
=
mass of 16O atom on the old scale mass of 16O atom on the new scale

X amu 24.3050 amu

= A.W. of Mg on the old scale = 24.3127 amu
16 amu (exactly) 15.9949 amu
6. In a chemical atomic mass determination, the tin content in 3.7692 g of tin tetrachloride was
found to be 1.7170 g. If the atomic weight of chlorine is taken as 35.453 amu, what is the
value for the atomic weight of the tin isolated during this experiment?
mass of Cl in SnCl4 = 3.7692 g − 1.7170 g = 2.0522 g

Sn X amu 1.7170 g
= = X = 118.649
Cl 4 × 35.453 amu 2.0522 g

A.W. of Sn = 118.649 amu

 ATOMIC THEORY WORKSHEET
1. Which of the following statements of the atomic theory proposed by John Dalton at
the beginning of the 19th century are not quite true in light of modern atomic
physics? Rewrite each statement to reflect the current understanding of the atomic
theory.
An element is made up of atoms. All Atoms cannot be created or destroyed.
atoms of a given element are identical.
All atoms of a given element have the Atoms cannot be created or destroyed
same number of protons in the nucleus. in chemical reactions. In chemical
They may differ in the number of reactions the old bonds between atoms
neutrons. Chemically the atoms of a are broken down and new bonds are
given element are virtually formed. Atoms, however, can be
indistinguishable: the types of chemical created or destroyed in nuclear
reactions are the same; the rates may reactions: radioactive decays, nuclear
slightly differ for different isotopes. fission and fusion.
All atoms of one element have the same Atoms of different elements may
mass. Atoms of two different elements combine in the ratio of small, whole
have different masses. numbers to form compounds.
The main characteristic of an element is This is often the case for many
the atomic number. Two elements differ compounds, especially inorganic. It was
from each other by their atomic always the case for compounds known
numbers. In fact, atoms of two different to Dalton. Most organic compounds
elements may have masses that are (whose composition was not known to
very close to each other. For example, Dalton) do not follow that rule: C12H22O11
39.9624 amu for an atom of argon-40 (sugar), C27H46O (cholesterol),
and 39.9640 amu for an atom of C17H21NO4 (cocaine).
potassium-40.

2. Calculate the atomic weight of neon using the data on its isotopes provided in the
table below.
Natural
Number of Number of Mass Atomic Mass
Isotope Abundance
Protons Neutrons Number (amu)
(atom %)
20
Ne 10 10 20 19.9924 90.48
21
Ne 10 11 21 20.9938 0.27
22
Ne 10 12 22 21.9914 9.25

Weighted Average of Atomic Masses = 19.9924 amu × 0.9048 +

+ 20.9938 amu ×0.0027 + 21.9914 amu × 0.0925 = 20.18 amu = Atomic Weight or
Relative Atomic Mass (the number below the symbol in the Periodic Table of the
Elements)
 ATOMS, ISOTOPES, ELEMENTS

Number
Symbol Number of Number of
of
of the Atomic Mass Neutrons Electrons Mass of Name of Name of
Protons
Atom Number Number in the in the the Atom the Element the Isotope
in the
(Isotope) Atom Atom
Atom
235 235.0439
92 U 92 235 92 143 92
amu
uranium uranium-235

238 238.0508
92 U 92 238 92 146 92
amu
uranium uranium-238

34 33.9679
16 S 16 34 16 18 16
amu
sulfur sulfur-34

37 36.9659
17 Cl 17 37 17 20 17
amu
chlorine chlorine-37

39 38.9637 potassium-
19 K 19 39 19 20 19
amu
potassium
39
12 12 amu
6 C 6 12 6 6 6
(exactly)
carbon carbon-12

13 13.0034
6 C 6 13 6 7 6
amu
carbon carbon-13

23 22.9898
11Na 11 23 11 12 11
amu
sodium sodium-23