Question: How is an elements Atomic mass weighed?

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  1. The atomic mass is the mass of an element is the combined mass of its protons, neutrons and electrons. The mass can be checked using a technique call mass spectrometry.

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  2. Hi pnemono,

    The important thing to remember abuot the atomic weights you see on the periodic table is that these are relative weights. They do not have a unit.

    So Carbon is atomic weight 12, and we get this from adding the number of protons to the number of neutrons, 6 of each.

    But if you want to know what the actual mass of ont atom is, you then take the atomic weight and divide this by Avagadros number 6.02 x 10^23, this will give us the average mass of one atom in grams. You will notice it doesnt weigh much.

    Then there is as James has mentioned, mass spectrometry.

    If this is my last question, then thank you for all the questions they have been great. I hope you do well at school, and look forward to seeing you one day in the science fields, from your questions i reckon you might be good at it. Well done

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