ATOMIC MASS Meaning and
Definition
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Atomic mass refers to the average mass of an atom of an element, considering all the isotopes of that element, expressed in atomic mass units (u) or Daltons (Da). It is a fundamental concept in chemistry and is typically represented by the symbol "A." Atomic mass takes into account the protons, neutrons, and electrons present in an atom.
Each element consists of various isotopes, which are atoms with the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons. These isotopes have different masses, resulting in a range of atomic masses for a particular element. The atomic mass of an element is determined by calculating the weighted average of the masses of all its isotopes, taking into account their relative abundances in nature.
The atomic mass is usually not a whole number since the abundance of each isotope is taken into account. It is based on the carbon-12 isotope, which is assigned a mass of exactly 12 atomic mass units. For example, the atomic mass of carbon is approximately 12.01 u, which is slightly higher than 12 due to the presence of the carbon-13 isotope.
Atomic mass is crucial in various chemical calculations, such as determining the number of moles or the mass of a substance in a given sample. It is also used to calculate the molar mass, which is the mass of one mole of a substance, expressed in grams. The atomic mass is listed on the periodic table beneath the symbol of each element and helps chemists understand the composition and behavior of substances at the atomic level.
Common Misspellings for ATOMIC MASS
- ztomic mass
- stomic mass
- wtomic mass
- qtomic mass
- aromic mass
- afomic mass
- agomic mass
- ayomic mass
- a6omic mass
- a5omic mass
- atimic mass
- atkmic mass
- atlmic mass
- atpmic mass
- at0mic mass
- at9mic mass
- atonic mass
- atokic mass
- atojic mass
Etymology of ATOMIC MASS
The term "atomic mass" has its etymology rooted in the Greek word "atomos" meaning "indivisible" or "uncuttable", and the term "mass" originating from the Latin word "massa" meaning "a lump or block of matter". The modern understanding of atomic mass emerged from the concept of atoms being the fundamental building blocks of matter, and their mass being a key characteristic.
Similar spelling words for ATOMIC MASS
- atomic clock,
- atomic energy,
- atomistic,
- atomic pile,
- atomic power,
- atomic physics,
- atomic weight,
- atomic bomb,
- atom smasher,
- atomic theory,
- atomic number.
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