Chemistry (AS Level)·Atoms, molecules & stoichiometry · NSSCAS 1.1.3
Mass spectrometry & relative atomic mass
Narrated lesson · press play
How do we actually measure the mass of an isotope? A mass spectrometer weighs atoms one isotope at a time and shows how common each one is. Learn to read a mass spectrum, calculate a precise relative atomic mass from isotopic abundances, and find the percentage by mass of an element in a compound.
What you'll learn in this lesson
By the end you should be able to (NSSCAS Chemistry (AS Level) 1.1.3):
- Analyse mass spectra in terms of isotopic abundances (the working of the spectrometer is not required)
- Calculate the relative atomic mass of an element from the relative abundances of its isotopes or its mass spectrum
- Calculate the percentage by mass of an element in a compound
Loading your lesson…
You're watching a free 3-minute preview — create a free account to keep going.
Quick revision
Revise this in 5 minutes
Miss Rachel and Mike talk through the whole topic — with the figure and working drawn live.