What is the Difference Between Mass Number and Atomic Mass?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚The difference between mass number and atomic mass lies in the composition and variation of the two measurements.
- Mass number (A): This is the sum of the number of protons and neutrons in an atom. It is a whole number and represents the number of protons and neutrons in a specific atom of an element. Mass number is also referred to as the atomic mass.
- Atomic mass: This is the average number of protons and neutrons for all natural isotopes of an element. It is a decimal number and represents the weighted average of atomic masses for all the different isotopes of an element in a sample. The atomic mass is sometimes referred to as the relative atomic mass, atomic weight, or atomic mass unit.
In summary, the mass number represents the fixed number of protons and neutrons in a specific atom of an element, while the atomic mass represents the average of all the different isotopes of an element in a sample. The atomic mass will generally be very close to the mass number but may have some deviation in the decimal places.
Comparative Table: Mass Number vs Atomic Mass
Here is a table comparing the differences between mass number and atomic mass:
| Mass Number | Atomic Mass |
|---|---|
| Represents the number of protons and neutrons in an atom (A) | Represents the average mass of all isotopes of an element |
| Also known as the nucleon number | Atomic mass unit (amu) is used to measure atomic mass |
| Whole number | Not always a whole number |
| Gives information about the specific isotope of an element | Provides information about a sample of an element with varying isotopes |
| Unique for each isotope of an element | Can change due to the variation in isotopes |
In summary, mass number represents the total number of protons and neutrons in an atom, while atomic mass represents the average mass of all isotopes of an element. Mass number is a whole number that gives information about a specific isotope, while atomic mass is not always a whole number and provides information about a sample with varying isotopes of an element.
- Atomic Number vs Mass Number
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- Atomic Mass vs Molecular Weight
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- Gram Atomic Mass vs Gram Molecular Mass
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- Formula Mass vs Molar Mass
- Mass vs Matter
- Formula Unit Mass vs Molecular Mass
- Atomic vs Molecular Elements
- Mass vs Weight
- Mass vs Weight