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Mass number

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818: 831: 46: 1374:(u). For C, the isotopic mass is exactly 12, since the atomic mass unit is defined as 1/12 of the mass of C. For other isotopes, the isotopic mass is usually within 0.1 u of the mass number. For example, Cl (17 protons and 18 neutrons) has a mass number of 35 and an isotopic mass of 34.96885. The difference of the actual isotopic mass minus the mass number of an atom is known as the 1456:: chlorine-35 and chlorine-37. In any given sample of chlorine that has not been subjected to mass separation there will be roughly 75% of chlorine atoms which are chlorine-35 and only 25% of chlorine atoms which are chlorine-37. This gives chlorine a relative atomic mass of 35.5 (actually 35.4527 g/ 1401:
The neutron is slightly heavier than the proton. This increases the mass of nuclei with more neutrons than protons relative to the atomic mass unit scale based on C with equal numbers of protons and neutrons.
1467:
has only two stable isotopes, Br and Br, naturally present in approximately equal fractions, which leads to the standard atomic mass of bromine close to 80 (79.904 g/mol), even though the
1339:. If possible, a nuclide will undergo beta decay to an adjacent isobar with lower mass. In the absence of other decay modes, a cascade of beta decays terminates at the 1358:
excited state of an atomic nucleus. Since all the protons and neutrons remain in the nucleus unchanged in this process, the mass number is also unchanged.
1060: 1463:
Moreover, the weighted average mass can be near-integer, but at the same time not corresponding to the mass of any natural isotope. For example,
1529: 1452:
This weighted average can be quite different from the near-integer values for individual isotopic masses. For instance, there are two main
1408:
varies between nuclei. A nucleus with greater binding energy has a lower total energy, and therefore a lower mass according to Einstein's
1437:) of an element, which is the ratio of the average atomic mass of the different isotopes of that element (weighted by abundance) to the 862: 776: 1730: 125: 1584: 1610: 429: 1495: 817: 1509:"How many protons, electrons and neutrons are in an atom of krypton, carbon, oxygen, neon, silver, gold, etc...?" 621: 326: 855: 1760: 1409: 639: 609: 110: 1755: 686: 236: 572: 848: 835: 567: 271: 1533: 1020:, which has 6 protons and 6 neutrons. The full isotope symbol would also have the atomic number ( 562: 459: 424: 120: 1576: 1430: 616: 266: 231: 1697: 741: 626: 518: 681: 1716: 1453: 1438: 751: 726: 543: 28: 1382:
which is the difference between the mass of an atom and its constituent particles (namely
8: 1468: 1340: 646: 525: 419: 362: 355: 345: 286: 281: 115: 1629: 1569: 1487: 589: 584: 399: 1726: 1580: 1052: 761: 756: 716: 594: 333: 321: 304: 276: 246: 87: 1677: 1648: 1625: 1371: 1332: 1024:) as a subscript to the left of the element symbol directly below the mass number: 954: 927: 781: 771: 701: 454: 372: 340: 160: 92: 1420:. For Cl, the isotopic mass is less than 35, so this must be the dominant factor. 1346:
Another type of radioactive decay without change in mass number is emission of a
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to the left of an element's symbol. For example, the most common isotope of
1609:
Wang, M.; Audi, G.; Kondev, F. G.; Huang, W. J.; Naimi, S.; Xu, X. (2017).
1206: 731: 706: 691: 436: 384: 241: 1201:, whereby one neutron is transmuted into a proton with the emission of an 1611:"The AME2016 atomic mass evaluation (II). Tables, graphs, and references" 1490:(2005). The Origins of the Symbols A and Z for Atomic Weight and Number. 1457: 1379: 1375: 1222: 1088: 1075:. Thus the atomic number and the number of neutrons each decrease by 2 ( 1071:, where the nucleus loses two neutrons and two protons in the form of an 1068: 1064: 991: 912: 696: 389: 311: 24: 1355: 1198: 666: 656: 513: 493: 316: 186: 1347: 1194: 999: 711: 661: 488: 476: 471: 350: 1378:, which for Cl is –0.03115. Mass excess should not be confused with 1391: 1202: 1720: 45: 1464: 1387: 990:
The mass number is written either after the element name or as a
950: 904: 900: 173: 146: 138: 70: 60: 1383: 995: 931: 896: 65: 1055:
are characterized by their changes in mass number as well as
1698:"Atomic Weights and Isotopic Compositions for All Elements" 1046: 923: 946: 1717:"The Structure of Matter and Chemical Elements (ch. 3)" 1083:: 146 → 144), so that the mass number decreases by 4 ( 1429:
The mass number should also not be confused with the
1424: 957:, and the difference between the mass number and the 1217:= 14), while the number of neutrons decreases by 1 ( 1608: 1568: 1747: 1511:. Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility 1361: 1061:radioactive displacement law of Fajans and Soddy 1213:: 6 → 7) and the mass number remains the same ( 16:Number of heavy particles in the atomic nucleus 945:of the nucleus (and also of the whole atom or 856: 1674:The IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology 1645:The IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology 1335:have mass differences on the order of a few 1209:. Thus the atomic number increases by 1 ( 863: 849: 1681: 1652: 1602: 1366:The mass number gives an estimate of the 1331:Beta decay is possible because different 1225:, with seven protons and seven neutrons: 949:). The mass number is different for each 1668:"Relative atomic mass (Atomic weight), A 1397:There are two reasons for mass excess: 1047:Mass number changes in radioactive decay 1547: 1087:= 238 → 234); the result is an atom of 1748: 1566: 930:. Since protons and neutrons are both 1593: 1532:. Science Help Online. Archived from 911:. It is approximately equal to the 13: 1714: 1708: 1445:ratio, while the mass number is a 1425:Relative atomic mass of an element 1341:isobar with the lowest atomic mass 14: 1772: 1725:. Chiral Publishing. p. 93. 1530:"Elemental Notation and Isotopes" 1221:: 8 → 7). The resulting atom is 887:, "atomic weight"), also called 1599:Atoms with the same mass number. 830: 829: 816: 44: 1690: 1661: 1636: 1560: 1522: 1501: 1481: 1: 1630:10.1088/1674-1137/41/3/030003 1474: 1449:number (and so an integer). 1362:Mass number and isotopic mass 1722:An Introduction to Chemistry 1471:with such mass is unstable. 7: 1229: 1114: 610:High-energy nuclear physics 10: 1777: 1624:(3): 030003-1–030003-442. 18: 1575:. Career Press. pp.  1441:. The atomic weight is a 895:, is the total number of 883:, from the German word: 19:Not to be confused with 1683:10.1351/goldbook.R05258 1654:10.1351/goldbook.M03719 1410:mass–energy equivalence 1091:and an alpha particle ( 121:Interacting boson model 1431:standard atomic weight 938:is identical with the 1567:Curran, Greg (2004). 508:High-energy processes 206:– equal all the above 104:Models of the nucleus 1555:Conceptual Chemistry 1454:isotopes of chlorine 1439:atomic mass constant 544:nuclear astrophysics 29:Relative atomic mass 1761:Chemical quantities 1193:On the other hand, 1059:, according to the 1051:Different types of 903:(together known as 526:Photodisintegration 449:Capturing processes 363:Spontaneous fission 356:Internal conversion 287:Valley of stability 282:Island of stability 116:Nuclear shell model 1643:"Mass excess, Δ". 1488:Jensen, William B. 1067:usually decays by 973:) in the nucleus: 967:number of neutrons 934:, the mass number 889:atomic mass number 823:Physics portal 617:Quark–gluon plasma 400:Radiogenic nuclide 1756:Nuclear chemistry 1732:978-0-9778105-4-3 1618:Chinese Physics C 1557:, 2007. Page 119. 1372:atomic mass units 1327: 1326: 1189: 1188: 1053:radioactive decay 928:atomic mass units 873: 872: 559: 305:Radioactive decay 261:Nuclear stability 88:Nuclear structure 1768: 1742: 1740: 1739: 1702: 1701: 1694: 1688: 1687: 1685: 1665: 1659: 1658: 1656: 1640: 1634: 1633: 1615: 1606: 1600: 1597: 1591: 1590: 1574: 1571:Homework Helpers 1564: 1558: 1553:Suchocki, John. 1551: 1545: 1544: 1542: 1541: 1526: 1520: 1519: 1517: 1516: 1505: 1499: 1485: 1323: 1322: 1321: 1314: 1311: 1310: 1297: 1296: 1295: 1288: 1287: 1274: 1273: 1272: 1265: 1264: 1250: 1249: 1248: 1241: 1240: 1230: 1183: 1182: 1181: 1174: 1173: 1159: 1158: 1157: 1150: 1149: 1135: 1134: 1133: 1126: 1125: 1115: 1109: 1108: 1107: 1100: 1099: 1063:. For example, 1042: 1041: 1040: 1033: 1032: 1019: 1018: 1017: 1010: 1009: 986: 955:chemical element 865: 858: 851: 838: 833: 832: 825: 821: 820: 697:Skłodowska-Curie 557: 373:Neutron emission 141:' classification 93:Nuclear reaction 48: 34: 33: 1776: 1775: 1771: 1770: 1769: 1767: 1766: 1765: 1746: 1745: 1737: 1735: 1733: 1711: 1709:Further reading 1706: 1705: 1696: 1695: 1691: 1671: 1667: 1666: 1662: 1642: 1641: 1637: 1613: 1607: 1603: 1598: 1594: 1587: 1565: 1561: 1552: 1548: 1539: 1537: 1528: 1527: 1523: 1514: 1512: 1507: 1506: 1502: 1486: 1482: 1477: 1427: 1364: 1337:electron masses 1320: 1317: 1316: 1315: 1312: 1309: 1307: 1306: 1305: 1304: 1294: 1292: 1291: 1290: 1286: 1284: 1283: 1282: 1281: 1271: 1269: 1268: 1267: 1263: 1260: 1259: 1258: 1257: 1247: 1245: 1244: 1243: 1239: 1236: 1235: 1234: 1233: 1180: 1178: 1177: 1176: 1172: 1169: 1168: 1167: 1166: 1156: 1154: 1153: 1152: 1148: 1145: 1144: 1143: 1142: 1132: 1130: 1129: 1128: 1124: 1121: 1120: 1119: 1118: 1106: 1104: 1103: 1102: 1098: 1095: 1094: 1093: 1092: 1049: 1039: 1037: 1036: 1035: 1031: 1028: 1027: 1026: 1025: 1016: 1014: 1013: 1012: 1008: 1006: 1005: 1004: 1003: 974: 916:(also known as 869: 828: 815: 814: 807: 806: 642: 632: 631: 612: 602: 601: 546: 542: 539:Nucleosynthesis 531: 530: 509: 501: 500: 450: 442: 441: 415: 413:Nuclear fission 405: 404: 378:Proton emission 307: 297: 296: 262: 254: 253: 155: 142: 131: 130: 106: 38:Nuclear physics 32: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1774: 1764: 1763: 1758: 1744: 1743: 1731: 1715:Bishop, Mark. 1710: 1707: 1704: 1703: 1689: 1669: 1660: 1635: 1601: 1592: 1585: 1559: 1546: 1521: 1500: 1492:J. Chem. Educ. 1479: 1478: 1476: 1473: 1426: 1423: 1422: 1421: 1406:binding energy 1402: 1363: 1360: 1352:nuclear isomer 1329: 1328: 1325: 1324: 1318: 1308: 1302: 1299: 1293: 1285: 1279: 1276: 1270: 1261: 1255: 1252: 1246: 1237: 1191: 1190: 1187: 1186: 1184: 1179: 1170: 1164: 1161: 1155: 1146: 1140: 1137: 1131: 1122: 1105: 1096: 1073:alpha particle 1048: 1045: 1038: 1029: 1015: 1007: 909:atomic nucleus 893:nucleon number 871: 870: 868: 867: 860: 853: 845: 842: 841: 840: 839: 826: 809: 808: 805: 804: 799: 794: 789: 784: 779: 774: 769: 764: 759: 754: 749: 744: 739: 734: 729: 724: 719: 714: 709: 704: 699: 694: 689: 684: 679: 674: 669: 664: 659: 654: 649: 643: 638: 637: 634: 633: 630: 629: 624: 619: 613: 608: 607: 604: 603: 600: 599: 598: 597: 592: 587: 578: 577: 576: 575: 570: 565: 554: 553: 551:Nuclear fusion 547: 537: 536: 533: 532: 529: 528: 523: 522: 521: 510: 507: 506: 503: 502: 499: 498: 497: 496: 491: 481: 480: 479: 474: 464: 463: 462: 451: 448: 447: 444: 443: 440: 439: 434: 433: 432: 422: 416: 411: 410: 407: 406: 403: 402: 397: 392: 387: 381: 380: 375: 370: 365: 360: 359: 358: 353: 343: 338: 337: 336: 331: 330: 329: 314: 308: 303: 302: 299: 298: 295: 294: 292:Stable nuclide 289: 284: 279: 274: 269: 267:Binding energy 263: 260: 259: 256: 255: 252: 251: 250: 249: 239: 234: 229: 223: 222: 208: 207: 200: 199: 183: 182: 170: 169: 157: 156: 143: 137: 136: 133: 132: 129: 128: 123: 118: 113: 107: 102: 101: 98: 97: 96: 95: 90: 85: 80: 78:Nuclear matter 75: 74: 73: 68: 58: 50: 49: 41: 40: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1773: 1762: 1759: 1757: 1754: 1753: 1751: 1734: 1728: 1724: 1723: 1718: 1713: 1712: 1699: 1693: 1684: 1679: 1675: 1664: 1655: 1650: 1646: 1639: 1631: 1627: 1623: 1619: 1612: 1605: 1596: 1588: 1586:1-56414-721-5 1582: 1578: 1573: 1572: 1563: 1556: 1550: 1536:on 2008-09-13 1535: 1531: 1525: 1510: 1504: 1497: 1493: 1489: 1484: 1480: 1472: 1470: 1466: 1461: 1459: 1455: 1450: 1448: 1444: 1440: 1436: 1435:atomic weight 1433:(also called 1432: 1419: 1415: 1411: 1407: 1403: 1400: 1399: 1398: 1395: 1393: 1389: 1385: 1381: 1377: 1373: 1369: 1368:isotopic mass 1359: 1357: 1353: 1349: 1344: 1342: 1338: 1334: 1303: 1300: 1280: 1277: 1256: 1253: 1232: 1231: 1228: 1227: 1226: 1224: 1220: 1216: 1212: 1208: 1204: 1200: 1196: 1185: 1165: 1162: 1141: 1138: 1117: 1116: 1113: 1112: 1111: 1090: 1086: 1082: 1078: 1074: 1070: 1066: 1062: 1058: 1057:atomic number 1054: 1044: 1023: 1001: 997: 993: 988: 985: 981: 977: 972: 968: 964: 960: 959:atomic number 956: 952: 948: 944: 941: 940:baryon number 937: 933: 929: 926:expressed in 925: 921: 919: 915: 910: 906: 902: 898: 894: 890: 886: 882: 878: 866: 861: 859: 854: 852: 847: 846: 844: 843: 837: 827: 824: 819: 813: 812: 811: 810: 803: 800: 798: 795: 793: 790: 788: 785: 783: 780: 778: 775: 773: 770: 768: 765: 763: 760: 758: 755: 753: 750: 748: 745: 743: 740: 738: 735: 733: 730: 728: 725: 723: 720: 718: 715: 713: 710: 708: 705: 703: 700: 698: 695: 693: 690: 688: 685: 683: 680: 678: 675: 673: 670: 668: 665: 663: 660: 658: 655: 653: 650: 648: 645: 644: 641: 636: 635: 628: 625: 623: 620: 618: 615: 614: 611: 606: 605: 596: 593: 591: 588: 586: 583: 582: 580: 579: 574: 571: 569: 566: 564: 561: 560: 556: 555: 552: 549: 548: 545: 540: 535: 534: 527: 524: 520: 519:by cosmic ray 517: 516: 515: 512: 511: 505: 504: 495: 492: 490: 487: 486: 485: 482: 478: 475: 473: 470: 469: 468: 465: 461: 458: 457: 456: 453: 452: 446: 445: 438: 435: 431: 430:pair breaking 428: 427: 426: 423: 421: 418: 417: 414: 409: 408: 401: 398: 396: 395:Decay product 393: 391: 388: 386: 383: 382: 379: 376: 374: 371: 369: 368:Cluster decay 366: 364: 361: 357: 354: 352: 349: 348: 347: 344: 342: 339: 335: 332: 328: 325: 324: 323: 320: 319: 318: 315: 313: 310: 309: 306: 301: 300: 293: 290: 288: 285: 283: 280: 278: 275: 273: 270: 268: 265: 264: 258: 257: 248: 245: 244: 243: 240: 238: 235: 233: 230: 228: 225: 224: 221: 217: 213: 212:Mirror nuclei 210: 209: 205: 202: 201: 198: 197: 194: −  193: 188: 185: 184: 181: 180: 175: 172: 171: 168: 167: 162: 159: 158: 154: 153: 148: 145: 144: 140: 135: 134: 127: 124: 122: 119: 117: 114: 112: 109: 108: 105: 100: 99: 94: 91: 89: 86: 84: 83:Nuclear force 81: 79: 76: 72: 69: 67: 64: 63: 62: 59: 57: 54: 53: 52: 51: 47: 43: 42: 39: 36: 35: 30: 26: 22: 21:Atomic number 1736:. Retrieved 1721: 1692: 1673: 1663: 1644: 1638: 1621: 1617: 1604: 1595: 1570: 1562: 1554: 1549: 1538:. Retrieved 1534:the original 1524: 1513:. Retrieved 1503: 1491: 1483: 1462: 1451: 1446: 1442: 1428: 1417: 1413: 1396: 1370:measured in 1365: 1345: 1330: 1218: 1214: 1210: 1207:antineutrino 1192: 1084: 1080: 1076: 1050: 1021: 989: 983: 979: 975: 970: 962: 942: 935: 917: 913: 892: 888: 884: 880: 876: 874: 437:Photofission 385:Decay energy 312:Alpha α 219: 215: 195: 191: 178: 165: 164: 151: 1380:mass defect 1376:mass excess 1223:nitrogen-14 1089:thorium-234 1079:: 92 → 90, 1069:alpha decay 1065:uranium-238 992:superscript 953:of a given 885:Atomgewicht 877:mass number 742:Oppenheimer 420:Spontaneous 390:Decay chain 341:K/L capture 317:Beta β 187:Isodiaphers 111:Liquid drop 25:Atomic mass 1750:Categories 1738:2008-07-08 1540:2008-08-27 1515:2008-08-27 1494:82: 1764. 1475:References 1469:isotope Br 1356:metastable 1199:beta decay 1197:decays by 965:gives the 772:Strassmann 762:Rutherford 640:Scientists 595:Artificial 590:Cosmogenic 585:Primordial 581:Nuclides: 558:Processes: 514:Spallation 1412:relation 1392:electrons 1348:gamma ray 1195:carbon-14 1000:carbon-12 777:Świątecki 692:Pi. Curie 687:Fr. Curie 682:Ir. Curie 677:Cockcroft 652:Becquerel 573:Supernova 277:Drip line 272:p–n ratio 247:Borromean 126:Ab initio 1676:. 2014. 1647:. 2014. 1404:Nuclear 1388:neutrons 1203:electron 918:isotopic 907:) in an 905:nucleons 901:neutrons 879:(symbol 836:Category 737:Oliphant 722:Lawrence 702:Davisson 672:Chadwick 568:Big Bang 455:electron 425:Products 346:Isomeric 237:Even/odd 214: – 189:– equal 176:– equal 174:Isotones 163:– equal 149:– equal 147:Isotopes 139:Nuclides 61:Nucleons 1700:. NIST. 1465:bromine 1447:counted 1384:protons 1350:from a 1333:isobars 1301:+  1278:+  1254:→  1205:and an 1163:+  1139:→  951:isotope 932:baryons 922:of the 897:protons 792:Thomson 782:Szilárd 752:Purcell 732:Meitner 667:N. Bohr 662:A. Bohr 647:Alvarez 563:Stellar 467:neutron 351:Gamma γ 204:Isomers 161:Isobars 56:Nucleus 1729:  1583:  1313:ν 1298:  1275:  1251:  1160:  1136:  996:carbon 961:  920:) mass 914:atomic 834:  802:Wigner 797:Walton 787:Teller 717:Jensen 484:proton 227:Stable 1614:(PDF) 1577:78–79 1002:, or 767:Soddy 747:Proca 727:Mayer 707:Fermi 657:Bethe 232:Magic 27:, or 1727:ISBN 1581:ISBN 1496:link 1443:mass 1390:and 924:atom 899:and 875:The 757:Rabi 712:Hahn 622:RHIC 242:Halo 1678:doi 1672:". 1649:doi 1626:doi 1460:). 1458:mol 1394:). 1354:or 1110:): 998:is 947:ion 891:or 627:LHC 541:and 1752:: 1719:. 1622:41 1620:. 1616:. 1579:. 1418:mc 1416:= 1386:, 1343:. 1175:He 1151:Th 1147:90 1123:92 1101:He 1043:. 987:. 982:− 978:= 494:rp 460:2× 327:0v 322:2β 218:↔ 23:, 1741:. 1686:. 1680:: 1670:r 1657:. 1651:: 1632:. 1628:: 1589:. 1543:. 1518:. 1498:. 1414:E 1319:e 1289:e 1266:N 1262:7 1242:C 1238:6 1219:N 1215:A 1211:Z 1171:2 1127:U 1097:2 1085:A 1081:N 1077:Z 1034:C 1030:6 1022:Z 1011:C 984:Z 980:A 976:N 971:N 969:( 963:Z 943:B 936:A 881:A 864:e 857:t 850:v 489:p 477:r 472:s 334:β 220:N 216:Z 196:Z 192:N 179:N 166:A 152:Z 71:n 66:p 31:.

Index

Atomic number
Atomic mass
Relative atomic mass
Nuclear physics

Nucleus
Nucleons
p
n
Nuclear matter
Nuclear force
Nuclear structure
Nuclear reaction
Models of the nucleus
Liquid drop
Nuclear shell model
Interacting boson model
Ab initio
Nuclides
Isotopes
Z
Isobars
A
Isotones
N
Isodiaphers
N − Z
Isomers
Mirror nuclei
Stable

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