Intro to Nuclear Chemistry

Objectives: Calculate the average atomic mass of an element

based on its isotopes.

Mr. John
 Nucleus
• Remember almost all the
mass of the atom it’s
• Protons and located on the nucleus.
Neutrons
• The nucleons are
bound together by
the strong force.

Intramolecular forces!
Isotopes
• Same element.
• Same chemical properties.
• Different mass numbers because they
possess different amount of neutrons.
• All elements with atomic numbers
greater than 83 are radioisotopes
meaning that these elements have
unstable nuclei and are radioactive.
Isotopes
 17
Exercise, characterize this Cl
isotope!
37

• Chlorine-37
– atomic #: 17 Mass Number (A)

37
Cl
– mass #: 37
– # of protons: 17 17
– # of electrons: 17 Atomic Number (Z)

– # of neutrons: 20 n = A – Z = 37 -17 = 20

Courtesy Christy Johannesson www.nisd.net/communicationsarts/pages/chem

 Isotopes
What is common?
Neutron

+ +
Electrons
+
Nucleus
+
+ + Proton
Nucleus

Proton
Nucleus +
+ Neutron

Carbon-12
+
Neutrons 6 + +
Electrons

Protons 6
Electrons 6 +

Carbon-14
Neutrons 8
Protons 6 Nucleus
Electrons 6
Average Atomic Mass

Average Atomic Mass: It’s the

atomic mass that appears in
the Periodic Table.

Average
(mass)(abu %)+(mass)(abu %)+…
Atomic =
Mass 100

Courtesy Christy Johannesson www.nisd.net/communicationsarts/pages/chem

 Average Atomic Mass

Mass Number Natural

(A) Abundance
Rubidium-85 72.17%

Rubidium-87 27.83%

Avg.
(85)(72.17)+(87)(27.83)
Atomic = = 85,46
Mass 100
 Average Atomic Mass

Avg.
(35)(75,77)+(37)(24,23)
Atomic = = 35,48
Mass 100
 Average Atomic Mass

Mass of Natural
Magnesium Abundance
Isotopes
23,98 78,99%
24,98 10,00%
25,98 11,01%
Avg. (29,98)(78,99)+(24,98)(10) +(25,98)(11,01)
Atomic =
Mass 100
 Remember:
• Mass Number (A) corresponds to the amount of
protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom.
• When an atom has different isotopes it’s
necessary to calculate the average atomic mass to
put the atomic mass in the periodic table.
• Calculate the average atomic mass, using the
abundance multiplying the mass number.
 More Exercises
1. One atom has 20 protons and a mass of 44. Another atom has 20 protons
and a mass number of 40. What is the identity of these atoms? How do you
account for the difference in mass numbers?

Mass Number (A)

40 44
20 X 20 X
Atomic Number (Z)
 More Exercises
2. Calculate the average atomic masses using the following data :
 More Exercises
3. Calculate the average atomic masses using the following data :
More Exercises