Question

Describe a method to calculate the average atomic mass of the sample in the previous question using only the atomic masses of lithium -6 and lithium -7 without using the simulation.

Answer 1

Answer:

Explanation:

To calculate their average atomic masses which is otherwise known as the relative atomic mass, we simply multiply the given abundances of the atoms and the given atomic masses.

The abundace is the proportion or percentage or fraction by which each of the isotopes of an element occurs in nature.

This can be expressed below:

        RAM = Σmₙαₙ

where mₙ is the mass of isotope n

           αₙ is the abundance of isotope n

for this problem:

RAM of Li = m₆α₆ + m₇α₇

       m₆ is mass of isotope Li-6

        α₆ is the abundance of isotope Li-6

       m₇ is mass of isotope Li-7

        α₇ is the abundance of isotope Li-7