Explain why the massess for an element on the periodic table are not ''whole numbers''?

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Explain why the massess for an element on the periodic table are not ''whole numbers''?

2006-09-17 07:11:24 · 2 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Other - Science

2 answers

The masses on the periodic table are averages. Elements have different isotopes with different numbers of neutrons. The average mass is calculated based on the percentage of time different isotopes show up in nature, but the mass of any one particular atom will be a whole number.

2006-09-17 07:14:24 · answer #1 · answered by bugaboo 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋

Because the table takes the average mass, which includes the isotopes.

2006-09-17 14:18:17 · answer #2 · answered by bruinfan 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋