Atomic Mass of Candium


Purpose of the Lab

The purpose of this lab was to practice our abilities of finding the total and average mass of isotopes, determining percent and decimal abundance, and finding the average atomic mass. We did this with a given random combination of skittles, m&m's, and pretzel m&m's. 

Average Atomic Mass

(0.603x0.864)+(0.30x1.02)+(0.10x2.09) = 1.036 = 1.0. 

Conclusions

1. Ask a group nearby what their average atomic mass was. Why would your average atomic mass be different than theirs?

The other group's average is 1.23. Our average atomic mass might be different because each isotope--skittles, m&m's, and pretzel m&m's--had a different total number, and thus a different total and average mass. This affected the average mass because the formula for it, average atomic mass = (decimal abundance of isotope 1 x mass of isotope 1) + (decimal abundance of isotope 2 x mass of isotope 2) + (decimal abundance of isotope 3 x mass of isotope 3), included the average mass and the decimal abundance, which is based off of the total number of atoms in the isotope. 

2. If larger samples of candium were used, for example if I gave you a whole backpack filled with candium, would the differences between your average atomic mass and others' average atomic masses be bigger or smaller? Defend your answer. 

The differences between our average atomic mass and others' average atomic masses will be smaller because with greater numbers in the sample comes less variation in the data. The average will be less affected by outliers due to this, as smaller samples tend to be more affected by outliers. 

3. If you took any piece of candium from your sample and placed it on the balance, would it have the exact average atomic mass that you calculated? Why or why not? 

It would not have the exact average atomic mass because an actual data value will rarely be the exact average, but it will probably be close. 
Our supplies and given materials (skittles, m&m's, pretzel m&m's, calculator, and scale)

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