Use the mass spectrum of mercury to estimate the atomic mass of mercury. Estimate the masses and percent intensity values from the graph to three significant figures.

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the isotopes of mercury present in the mass spectrum and note their respective mass numbers and percent intensities.
2. Convert the percent intensities into fractional abundances by dividing each percent intensity by 100.
3. Multiply each isotope's mass number by its fractional abundance to find the contribution of each isotope to the atomic mass.
4. Sum the contributions from all isotopes to estimate the atomic mass of mercury.
5. Ensure that the final estimated atomic mass is reported to three significant figures, as required by the problem.

Key Concepts

Mass Spectrum

A mass spectrum is a graphical representation of the mass-to-charge ratio (m/z) of ions. It provides information about the different isotopes of an element and their relative abundances. In the context of mercury, the mass spectrum will show peaks corresponding to the various isotopes, allowing for the estimation of the average atomic mass based on their intensities.

Atomic Mass

Atomic mass is the weighted average mass of an element's isotopes, measured in atomic mass units (amu). It takes into account both the mass of each isotope and its relative abundance in nature. To estimate the atomic mass of mercury from its mass spectrum, one must calculate the average based on the isotopes' masses and their percent intensity values.

Percent Intensity

Percent intensity in a mass spectrum indicates the relative abundance of each isotope compared to the most abundant isotope, expressed as a percentage. This value is crucial for calculating the weighted average atomic mass, as it reflects how much each isotope contributes to the overall mass of the element. Accurate estimation of these values is essential for deriving the atomic mass of mercury.