Relative Atomic Mass and Mass Spectra

What form can isotopic abundances be?

In the form of a graph, like a mass spectrum.

How are mass spectra produced?

By mass spectrometers

What are mass spectrometers?

Devices which are used to find out what samples are made up of by measuring the masses of their components

What does the y-axis give?

The abundance of ions, often as a percentage.

What does the height of each peak give for an element?

The relative isotopic abundance

What are the x-axis units given as?

A mass/charge ratio

What happens in some cases for isotopic abundances?

The isotopic abundances on a mass spectrum might not be given as percentages, but as a relative abundance.

How can you work out the relative atomic mass from the relative abundance? (Step 1)

Multiply each relative isotopic mass by its relative abundance and add up all results

How can you work out the relative atomic mass from the relative abundance? (Step 2)

Divide by the sum of the relative abundances