Explain the difference between mass number and atomic mass.

Isotopes are one of the fundamental concepts in understanding the composition and behavior of elements.

They are atoms of the same element that have identical atomic numbers—which means they have the same number of protons in their nuclei—but they differ in the number of neutrons they contain. For instance, hydrogen has three known isotopes: protium (no neutron), deuterium (one neutron), and tritium (two neutrons). They all share the characteristic of having one proton, which defines them as hydrogen, but their varying neutron counts change their mass and certain properties.

Isotopes are significant in many areas of science, from figuring out ancient climates using oxygen isotopes to diagnosing and treating diseases with radioactive isotopes in medicine. The variation in the number of neutrons provides each isotope with distinct physical, and at times, chemical properties. For example, heavy water, which is made of deuterium, behaves slightly different compared to regular water. The concept of isotopes also explains why atomic mass is not a whole number, as it reflects the average of all isotope masses and the proportion in which they occur naturally.

The nucleon number, commonly known as the mass number, is the total count of protons and neutrons in an atomic nucleus. It is denoted by the symbol 'A'.

These protons and neutrons, collectively called nucleons, are the heavyweight champs of the atom since electrons, in comparison, have much less mass. Therefore, the mass number gives a good approximation of the atomic mass for that specific isotope. For example, the mass number for an oxygen-16 atom is 16, calculated by summing its 8 protons and 8 neutrons.

Each isotope of an element will have a unique nucleon number, serving as an identifier that is used to specify isotopes precisely. For example, carbon-12 and carbon-14 have mass numbers of 12 and 14 respectively, distinguishing them from each other. The mass number is important as it is readily measured and used in balancing nuclear reactions.

The unified atomic mass unit, abbreviated as 'u', is a standard unit of mass that quantifies the mass of atoms and molecules.

It is defined as exactly 1/12th of the mass of a carbon-12 atom, which is approximately equal to the mass of a single nucleon. This standardization makes it easier to compare the masses of different atoms and molecules on a scale that is suitable for the microscopic world. A unified atomic mass unit is approximately equal to 1.66053906660 x 10^-27 kilograms.

The usage of the unified atomic mass unit is critical when discussing atomic mass, the average weight of an element's isotopes relative to the mass of carbon-12. It enables chemists and physicists to describe the mass of atoms without resorting to incredibly small numbers given in kilograms, which would be impractical and cumbersome. When we say the atomic mass of carbon is approximately 12u, we mean that it is roughly equal to the mass of 12 protons or 12 neutrons.