Question

question 8 of 10
what is the mass number most similar to?
a. the average charge of all ions of the element
b. the sum of the atomic numbers of all the isotopes
c. the average mass of all isotopes of the element
d. the sum of the masses of all the isotopes

Explanation:

The mass number of an atom is the sum of protons and neutrons in its nucleus. The average atomic mass (which is most similar to the mass number conceptually in the context of isotopes) is calculated as the average mass of all isotopes of an element, weighted by their relative abundances. Option A is about charge (not mass - related), option B is about atomic numbers (sum of protons for each isotope, not mass - number - like), and option D is the sum of masses (not an average which is more in line with how mass - related atomic properties are presented for elements with isotopes).

Answer:

C. The average mass of all isotopes of the element