The atomic mass of lithium is 6.941 g/mol.
Lithium (Li) is an alkali metal with an atomic number of 3. This means that a neutral lithium atom has 3 protons and 3 electrons. The atomic mass is determined by the number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus. The most common isotopes of lithium are Lithium-6 and Lithium-7. Lithium-7 is significantly more abundant. The atomic mass reported on the periodic table is a weighted average of the masses of these isotopes. This average takes into account the naturally occurring abundance of each isotope.
Here's a breakdown:
- Atomic Number: 3 (number of protons)
- Atomic Mass: 6.941 g/mol
The number of neutrons can vary depending on the isotope. For example:
- Lithium-6 has 3 neutrons (6 - 3 = 3)
- Lithium-7 has 4 neutrons (7 - 3 = 4)
The atomic mass isn't a whole number because it's a weighted average reflecting the natural abundance of different isotopes of lithium.
