Section A: Atoms, Isotopes and Ar

1.
4. The Group 2 element magnesium was first isolated by Sir Humphry Davy in 1808.

Magnesium has three stable isotopes, which are 24Mg, 25Mg and 26Mg.

(i) Complete the table below to show the atomic structures of 24Mg and 25Mg.

protons neutrons electrons

24
Mg

25
Mg

[2]

(ii) A sample of magnesium contained 24Mg: 78.60%; 25Mg: 10.11%; 26Mg: 11.29%.

Calculate the relative atomic mass of this sample of Mg.

Give your answer to four significant figures.

answer = .......................................................
[2]

(iii) Define the term relative atomic mass.

.........................................................................................................................

.........................................................................................................................

.........................................................................................................................

.........................................................................................................................

.........................................................................................................................
[3]
[Total 7 marks]

Plymstock School 3
 Section A: Atoms, Isotopes and Ar

2.
7. Rubidium, atomic number 37, was discovered in 1861 by Bunsen and Kirchoff.
Rubidium is in Group 1 of the Periodic Table and the element has two natural isotopes,
85
Rb and 87Rb.

(a) Explain the term isotopes.

.........................................................................................................................

.........................................................................................................................
[1]

(b) A sample of rubidium was analysed in a mass spectrometer to produce the mass
spectrum below.

100

80

60
percentage
40

20

0
80 85 90 95
relative isotopic mass

(i) Use this mass spectrum to help you complete the table below.

isotope percentage number of

protons neutrons electrons

85
Rb

87
Rb

[3]

(ii) Calculate the relative atomic mass of this rubidium sample. Give your
answer to three significant figures.

Ar = ................................
[2]

Plymstock School 5
 2. Europium, atomic number 63, is used in some television screens to highlight colours. A
Section A: Atoms, Isotopes and Ar
chemist analysed a sample of europium using mass spectrometry. The results are
shown in the table below.
(c) Which isotope is used as the standard against which the masses of the two
rubidium isotopes are measured?
isotope relative isotopic mass abundance (%)
.........................................................................................................................
151
Eu 151.0 47.77
[1]
153 153.0 52.23 [Total 7 marks]
Eu

3.
(a) Define the term relative isotopic mass.
8. Magnesium exists naturally as a mixture of its isotopes, 24Mg, 25Mg and 26Mg.
.........................................................................................................................
The isotopes in magnesium can be separated by mass spectrometry. The diagram
below.........................................................................................................................
shows a mass spectrometer.
.........................................................................................................................
(i) Complete the table below to show the composition of the 25Mg and 26Mg
isotopes.
.........................................................................................................................
[2]
protons neutrons electrons
[Total 2 marks]

25
Plymstock School Mg 1
[Total for Section A: 16 marks]
26
Mg

[2]

24
(ii) Complete the electronic configuration of an atom of Mg.

1s2 ....................................................................................................................
[1]

(iii) Results from the mass spectrum of a sample of magnesium are shown below.

isotope 24 25 26
Mg Mg Mg

relative isotopic mass 24.00 25.00 26.00

% abundance 78.60 10.11 11.29

Calculate the relative atomic mass of the sample of magnesium.

Give your answer to two decimal places.

answer ...............................
[2]
[Total 5 marks]

Plymstock School 6
 ‘mass of the isotope/mass of an atom compared with
1/12th the mass of a mole OR 12 g of carbon –12.’
2

Section A: Atoms, Isotopes and Ar [4]

MARK SCHEME

4.
1. (i)

protons neutrons electrons

24 12 12 12
Mg
25 12 13 12
Mg
24
Mg line correct
25
Mg line correct
mark by row
2

24 × 78.60 + 25 × 10.11 + 26 × 11.29

(ii)
100
OR 18.8640 + 2.5275 + 2.9354
OR 24.3269
Ar = 24.33 (to 4 sig figs)
Plymstock School ALLOW two marks for Ar = 24.33 with no working out 3
ALLOW one mark for ecf from incorrect sum provided final
answer is between 24 and 26 and is to 4 significant figures, e.g.
24.3235 gives ecf of 24.32
2

(iii) The (weighted) mean mass of an atom

OR (weighted) average mass of an atom
relative to 1/12th (the mass)
of (one atom of) 12C
ALLOW The (weighted) mean mass
OR (weighted) average mass of an atom
OR average atomic mass
compared with (the mass of) carbon-12
which is 12
For 1st marking point, ALLOW mean mass of the isotopes
OR average mass of the isotopes
Do NOT ALLOW the singular: isotope
ALLOW mass of one mole of atoms
compared to 1/12th
(the mass) of one mole / 12 g of carbon-12
mass of one mole of atoms
1/12th the mass of one mole / 12 g of carbon-12
3
[7]

5. (i) atoms of the same element with different numbers of

neutrons/different masses (1) 1
79
(ii) Br 35 protons, 44 neutrons, 35 electrons (1)
81
Br 35 protons, 46 neutrons, 35 electrons (1) 2
 Formula = Ca(NO3)2•4H2O (1)
[3]

Section A: Atoms, Isotopes and Ar

7.
2. (a) (atoms of) same element/same atomic number….. with
different numbers of neutrons/different masses 1

(b) 3

isotope percentage number of

composition

153 protons neutrons electrons

1. (i) Eu has (2) more neutrons
85 71 to 73 37 48 37
Rb
OR
153 87 to 29 151Eu has 8837
27AND 50 37
EuRbhas 90 neutrons neutrons
mark ALLOW There are a different number of neutrons
must add
IGNORE Correct references to protons / electrons
DOupNOT
to 100
ALLOW Incorrect references to protons / electrons
1
ie 1 mark for each atomic structure; 1 for % compositions.

(ii) (It has the) same number of protons AND electrons

OR (85 × 72) + (87 × 28)
Ar = / 85.56
Both have 63 100protons and 63 electrons
= 85.6 ALLOW
2nd Same
mark for numberfigures
significant of protons AND same electron 2
configuration
71/29: 85.58 DO= 85.6
NOT ALLOW ‘Same number of protons’ without reference
73/27: 85.54 to electrons (and vice versa)
= 85.5
1
[2]
(c) carbon-12/12C 1
[7]

2.
3. (a) Mass of the isotope compared to 1/12th
OR
mass of the atom compared to 1/12th
(the mass of a) carbon-12 OR 12C (atom)
IGNORE Reference to average OR weighted mean
(i.e. correct definition of relative atomic mass will score both
marks)
ALLOW mass of a mole of the isotope/atom with 1/12th the
mass of a mole OR 12 g of carbon-12 for two marks.
ALLOW 2 marks for:
‘Mass of the isotope OR mass of the atom compared to 12C
atom given a mass of 12.0’
i.e. ‘given a mass of 12’ OR C12 is 12 communicates the same
idea as 1/12th.’
Plymstock School 5
ALLOW 12C OR C12
ALLOW 2 marks for:
mass of the isotope
mass of 1 / 12th mass of carbon − 12
i.e. fraction is equivalent to ‘compared to’
ALLOW 1 mark for a mix of mass of atom and mass of mole of
atoms, i.e. ‘mass of the isotope/mass of an atom compared with
1/12th the mass of a mole OR 12 g of carbon-12.’
DO NOT ALLOW mass of ‘ions’ OR mass of element
2