Definition, Meaning & Synonyms
mass-number
noun
/mæs ˈnʌmbər/
Definition
The mass number of an atom is the total number of protons and neutrons in its nucleus.
Examples
- The mass number of carbon-12 is 12.
- Isotopes of an element have the same atomic number but different mass numbers.
- The mass number helps to identify the number of neutrons in an atom, as they can vary while the number of protons remains constant for a given element.
Meaning
It represents the mass of an atom and is used to distinguish between different isotopes of an element.
Synonyms
- Atomic mass
- Nucleon number
