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Key Concepts in Chemistry

Calculating particle numbers and relative atomic mass

  • 2 things to know
  • Papers 1 and 2

Overview

Working out protons, neutrons and electrons from atomic and mass numbers, what relative atomic mass means, why chlorine's is 35.5 while fluorine's is almost exactly 19, and the isotope masses and abundances that decide it.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Key term

How is the number of neutrons in an atom calculated?

Key term

Why is the relative atomic mass of chlorine 35.5 rather than a whole number?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    An atom of sodium has atomic number 11 and mass number 23. State its numbers of protons, neutrons and electrons.

    Model answer

    It has 11 protons, 12 neutrons and 11 electrons.

  2. 2

    An atom of chlorine has atomic number 17 and mass number 35. State its numbers of protons, neutrons and electrons.

    Model answer

    It has 17 protons, 18 neutrons and 17 electrons.

  3. 3

    Potassium has atomic number 19 and mass number 39. How many neutrons are in the nucleus?

    Model answer

    There are 20 neutrons.

  4. 4

    An atom contains 26 protons and 30 neutrons. State its atomic number and its mass number.

    Model answer

    Its atomic number is 26 and its mass number is 56.

  5. 5

    An atom of fluorine has atomic number 9 and mass number 19. How many neutrons does it have, and how is this worked out?

    Model answer

    It has 10 neutrons, found by subtracting the atomic number from the mass number: 19 − 9 = 10.

  6. 6

    An atom of carbon-14 has atomic number 6. State its numbers of protons, neutrons and electrons.

    Model answer

    It has 6 protons, 8 neutrons and 6 electrons.

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Key Concepts in Chemistry
States of Matter and Mixtures
Chemical Changes
Extracting Metals and Equilibria

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A holds the acid.
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AChlorine is a pale green gas at room temperature.
BBromine is a red-brown liquid at room temperature.
CIodine is a dark grey solid at room temperature.

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An atom is about 0.1 nm across.
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