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Question

why we compare1/12mass of a carbon -12 instead of single carbon-12?why we use 1/12

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Solution

It coud have been 1/24th mass of C-12 but by taking it to be 1/12th of the mass of carbon-12 ,the relative mass of every element was found to be the whole no. and for hydrogen it was 1 amu that is lightest element when C-12 has mass equal to 12 amu.

To calculate actual mass of an element is relatively tedious and difficult . Thus to calculate the atomic mass ,scientists calculated the relative atomic mass of an element that is atomic mass of an element with respect to the 1/12th of the atomic mass of C-12.

the table below shows relative atomic mass of some common elements :

H 1.007 94

C 12.017

N 14.006 7

O 15.999 4

F 18.998 403 2

Na 22.989 769 28

Mg 24.305 0

Al 26.981 538 6

Si 28.085 5

P 30.973 762

S 32.065

Cl 35.453

K 39.098 3

Ca 40.078


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