What is the Difference Between Atomic Number and Mass Number?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚The difference between atomic number and mass number lies in the fundamental properties of an atom.
- Atomic Number: This is the number of protons in an atom. It determines the element's identity and is used to distinguish one element from another. For example, carbon's atomic number is 6 because it has 6 protons. Neutral atoms of an element contain an equal number of protons and electrons.
- Mass Number: This is the sum of the number of protons and the number of neutrons in an atom. The mass number gives an idea of the atom's size and can vary for a given element, resulting in isotopes, which are atoms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons. Since an element's isotopes have slightly different mass numbers, the atomic mass is calculated by obtaining the mean of the mass numbers for its isotopes.
In summary:
- The atomic number is the number of protons in an element.
- The mass number is the number of protons plus the number of neutrons in an atom.
On this pageWhat is the Difference Between Atomic Number and Mass Number? Comparative Table: Atomic Number vs Mass Number
Comparative Table: Atomic Number vs Mass Number
The main difference between atomic number and mass number lies in the composition of an atom. Here is a table summarizing the differences:
| Property | Atomic Number | Mass Number |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | The atomic number is the number of protons in an atom's nucleus. | The mass number is the sum of the number of protons and neutrons in an atom's nucleus. |
| Symbol | Represented by the letter "Z". | Represented by the letter "A". |
| Determining Factor | Atomic number determines the identity of an element. | Mass number determines the atomic mass of an element, which can vary slightly due to the presence of different isotopes. |
| Neutral Atoms | Neutral atoms of an element contain an equal number of protons and electrons. | The small contribution of mass from electrons is disregarded in calculating the mass number. |
In summary, the atomic number represents the number of protons in an atom's nucleus, determining the element's identity, while the mass number represents the sum of protons and neutrons in the nucleus, determining the atomic mass of an element.
Read more:
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- Atomic Mass Unit vs Atomic Mass
- Atomic Mass vs Molecular Weight
- Atomic Mass vs Average Atomic Mass
- Mass vs Molar Mass
- Atomic vs Molecular Elements
- Gram Atomic Mass vs Gram Molecular Mass
- Molar Mass vs Molecular Mass
- Exact Mass vs Molecular Weight
- Isotopes vs Elements
- Formula Mass vs Molar Mass
- Atom vs Molecule
- Atoms vs Elements
- Mass vs Matter