Unit 1-3 Flashcards
How much do protons and neutrons weight?
1 atomic mass unit (AMU)
Notes: The nucleus is the heavy part of the atom
Electrons have negligible mass
What does the atomic number represent?
The number of protons
Also the number of electrons if there’s no charge
Note: Identifies an element because its unique and never changes
What does the mass number represent?
Total number of protons and neutrons
An average of all isotopes therefore not always whole
What is an isotope?
Same element (atomic number) but different number of neutrons (mass number)
What is the relative atomic mass (Ar)?
Average mass of one atom relative to 1/12 the mass of one atom of C-12 because 1/12 the mass of a C-12 atom is 1 AMU
Example: Oxygen is 16 times heavier than 1/12 a C-12 atom
What is the relative formula mass (Mr)?
The total Ar of a molecule or compound
Average mass of one molecule relative to 1/12 the mass of one atom of C-12
What is the relative isotopic mass?
Mass of one isotope relative to 1/12 the mass of one atom of C-12
Example: Cl-35 is 35 times the mass of C-12 but Cl-37 is 37 times its mass
What is the mole?
The amount of any substance that contains the same number of particles as there are atoms in exactly 12g of C-12 (6.02*10^23 atoms)
n=m/mr
What is molar mass?
Mass per unit amount of a substance, gmol^-1 (The mr expressed as gmol^-1)
How is the number of particles calculated?
Number of particles= nL
Moles= n
Avogadro’s number (6.02*10^23 ) = L
What is the empirical formula?
Simplest whole number ratio of elements in a compound
Example: Ethane = CH3
What is the molecular formula?
Actual ratio of elements in a compound
Example: Ethane = C2H6
What is mass spectrometer used for?
Used to determine relative atomic mass by measuring the mass of each isotope and the relative abundance of each isotope
(Step 1) What must happen to an element before entering a mass spectrometer?
The element is vaporised
Not heated if they are gases at room temp
(Step 2) Why are samples bombarded with high energy electrons from the electron gun of a mass spectrometer?
Positive ions are obtained as 1 electron is knocked off
X(g) → X(g)+ + e-
Note: If the energy is too high then too many electrons will be knocked off
(Step 3) How are ions accelerated in a mass spectrometer?
Ions are accelerated using the electrical field created by the charged plates
(Step 4) In mass spectroscopy the instrument is evacuated so a vacuum pump can remove air molecules. Why?
So the movement of positively charged ions is unaffected
(Step 5) What is the purpose of the magnetic field in mass spectroscopy?
Ions are deflected using the magnetic field
Ions with a small mass/charge ratio are defected more