Particulate Nature of Matter

Notes 13

Relative atomic mass:

relative atomic mass (Ar) – the average mass of normally occurring atoms of an
element on a scale where the carbon-12 atom has a mass of exactly 12 units.

One Atomic Mass Unit: One atom of carbon-12 is given the mass of 12 precisely.
From this we get that
1 atomic mass unit (a.m.u.) = 1/12 * mass of one atom of carbon-12.

Chlorine contains two isotopes, chlorine-35 and chlorine-37, in a ratio of 3 : 1 (or

75% : 25%).
Th e relative atomic mass of chlorine can be calculated by finding the total mass
of 100 atoms:
mass of 100 atoms = (35 × 75) + (37 × 25)
= 3550

Q. Calculate the molecular mass of the following substances(relative molecular

mass):
1. Water(H2O)
2. Ammonia(NH3)
3. Calcium carbonate(CaCO3)
4. Ammonium carbonate((NH4)2CO3)
Radioactivity:

• Some elements have unstable isotopes, such as tritium and carbon-14. The
extra neutrons in their nuclei cause them to disintegrate or decay
spontaneously.
• This is radioactivity and takes place through nuclear fission.
• The result of these disintegrations is the release of heat energy and various
forms of radioactive radiation.
• Uranium-235 is a radioactive isotope which is used as a controlled source
of energy in nuclear power stations.
• Radioactive decay is a nuclear process and not a chemical reaction.

The uses of radioactivity:

• Caron-14 is used in Radioactive dating
• An isotope of uranium, 235U, is used in nuclear power stations.
• Cobalt-60 is used to treat internal cancer tumours.
• Skin cancer tumours can be treated with phosphorus-32 or strontium-90.

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