The atomic mass of sodium is found by adding the number of protons and neutrons in its nucleus. For sodium (Na), this is approximately 23 atomic mass units (amu).
Here's a breakdown:
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Understanding Atomic Mass: Atomic mass is essentially the weight of an atom, primarily determined by the number of protons and neutrons in its nucleus. Protons and neutrons each have a mass of approximately 1 atomic mass unit (amu).
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Sodium's Composition:
- Sodium (Na) has an atomic number of 11. This means it has 11 protons.
- The most common isotope of sodium has 12 neutrons.
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Calculation:
- Atomic Mass ≈ Number of Protons + Number of Neutrons
- Atomic Mass ≈ 11 + 12
- Atomic Mass ≈ 23 amu
Therefore, the atomic mass of sodium is approximately 23 amu. You can find more information on the periodic table or in any chemistry textbook. Note that the actual atomic mass, as reported on the periodic table, is a weighted average of all the isotopes of sodium. The most common isotope is sodium-23, which is why the average is very close to 23.
