2006-10-16 15:47:57 · 4 answers · asked by Kelsi S 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
Who told you, you have to round off atomic masses? From the answers above it looks like everyone is rounding atomic mass to the nearest integer. You do not have to do that.
The only rounding you do is based on the error of the data and the operations you do with them.
2006-10-16 16:16:56 · answer #1 · answered by Dr. J. 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Atomic masses are expressed as an AVERAGE - that is, the average atomic weight of all the various isotopes that exist naturally. But any one given atom will have an exact, integer, atomic weight.
2006-10-16 22:58:07 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
This is simple, you cannot find a half proton or a half electron can you?
In subatomic particles, it has to be taken as a whole for it to make sense simply put.
2006-10-16 22:53:05 · answer #3 · answered by ds_8615 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
you can't have 24.31 nucleons in a nucleus. It has to be a whole number
2006-10-16 22:50:10 · answer #4 · answered by Greg G 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋