Mass number
Mass Number
The Mass Number (pronunciation: /mæs ˈnʌmbər/) is a term used in Nuclear Physics and Chemistry to denote the total number of protons and neutrons (collectively known as nucleons) in an atomic nucleus.
Etymology
The term "Mass Number" is derived from the concept of atomic mass. The word "mass" comes from the Latin word "massa", meaning "lump", and the word "number" comes from the Latin word "numerus", meaning "count". Together, they refer to the count of nucleons in the atomic lump or nucleus.
Definition
In Nuclear Physics, the Mass Number (symbolized as A) of an atom is calculated as the sum of the number of protons (which defines the Atomic Number) and the number of neutrons in an atomic nucleus. It is an integer and determines the specific isotope of an element.
Related Terms
- Atomic Number: The number of protons in an atomic nucleus.
- Isotope: Variants of a particular chemical element which differ in neutron number, and consequently in nucleon count.
- Nucleon: A collective term for protons and neutrons, the particles that make up the nucleus of an atom.
- Atomic Mass: The mass of an atom, approximately equivalent to the mass number for many elements.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Mass number
- Wikipedia's article - Mass number
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski