Final answer:
Relative abundance is expressed as a fraction and represents the frequency of a specific isotope compared to all isotopes, while percent abundance is expressed as a percentage and represents the proportion of a specific isotope out of the total.
Step-by-step explanation:
The main difference between relative abundance and percent abundance is the way they are expressed. Relative abundance is expressed as a fraction, while percent abundance is expressed as a percentage. For example, if the relative abundance of a particular isotope is 0.6, then the percent abundance would be 60%.
Another difference is the concept they represent. Relative abundance is a measure of the frequency of a particular isotope compared to all isotopes, while percent abundance represents the proportion of a specific isotope expressed as a percentage of the total.
Lastly, relative abundance can be given in different units such as parts per million (ppm), while percent abundance is always given in parts per hundred (pph).