Mass Spectroscopy of Elements

AP Chemistry· difficulty 3/5

Element X has two stable isotopes. The mass spectrum shows m/z = 63 (69.2%) and m/z = 65 (30.8%).

What is the average atomic mass of element X, and what is X?

A
$65.38 amu, zinc$
B
$63.62 amu, copper$
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C
$64.00 amu, copper$
D
$63.00 amu, zinc$

Explanation

Avg = (63)(0.692) + (65)(0.308) = 43.60 + 20.02 = 63.62 amu. This matches copper (63.55 amu, with isotopes 63 and 65).

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