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Chapter 2: Problem 15

Give two interpretations of the number "12.011" found below the symbol for carbon on the periodic table.

Short Answer

Expert verified
The number '12.011' under the symbol for carbon on the periodic table can be interpreted in two ways: It represents the weighted average of atomic masses of all carbon isotopes, which correlates closely with the mass of the most common isotope, Carbon-12. It can also be seen as the mass in grams of one mole of carbon, according to Avogadro's number.

Step by step solution

01

Interpretation as Atomic Mass

The atomic mass of an element is significantly close to the mass number of the most common isotope. Atomic mass represents the total number of protons and neutrons in an atomic nucleus. In case of carbon (C), the atomic mass is approximately 12.011. This is incredibly close to Carbon-12, the most common isotope of carbon. The atomic mass is a weighted average that accounts for the presence of other isotopes, like Carbon-13 and Carbon-14, which is why it isn't a whole number.
02

Interpretation as 1 Mole of Carbon

One mole of any element contains \(6.02214076 \times 10^{23}\) entities (Avogadro's number). The atomic mass unit is defined such that one carbon-12 atom has a mass of 12 amu. When you have a mole of carbon-12 atoms, the mass in grams of this sample is also numerically equal to the atomic mass of carbon-12, so you would have 12.011 grams. Thus, the number 12.011 written under carbon on the periodic table can also be interpreted as the mass of one mole of carbon in grams.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Find the symbol for chlorine on the periodic table. a) How does the number given just below the symbol for chlorine (rounded to \(0.01\) ) compare with the average mass (amu) of one chlorine atom? b) How does the number given just below the symbol for chlorine (rounded to 0.01) compare with the mass (grams) of \(6.022 \times 10^{23}\) chlorine atoms?

How many isotopes of magnesium occur naturally on Earth?

What fraction or percentage of carbon atoms has a mass of \(12.011\) amu?

Describe what all isotopes of magnesium have in common and also how are they different.

For a large collection of (randomly selected) magnesium atoms: a) What is the average atomic mass of magnesium, \(\mathrm{Mg}\), in amu? b) What is the average mass of a \(\mathrm{Mg}\) atom in grams?
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