Question

The average atomic mass of silver ( a g ag) is 107.87 u 107.87 u. which of the following mass spectra could correspond to an average sample of a g ag? choose 1 answer:

Answer 1

To determine which mass spectra could correspond to an average sample of Ag, we need to consider the isotopes of silver and their abundance. Option 1 is the only one that has an average atomic mass close to 107.87 amu, which corresponds to the average atomic mass of silver.

Step-by-step explanation:

The average atomic mass of silver is 107.87 u. To determine which mass spectra could correspond to an average sample of Ag, we need to consider the isotopes of silver and their abundance. Silver has two main isotopes: Ag-107 and Ag-109. The relative abundance of Ag-107 is approximately 51.8%, while the relative abundance of Ag-109 is approximately 48.2%. Using this information, we can calculate the weighted average atomic mass of silver.

Let's consider the options and calculate their average atomic mass:

1. Option 1: Ag-107 = 107.0 amu (51.8% abundance) and Ag-109 = 109.0 amu (48.2% abundance)
   Average atomic mass = (107.0 amu * 0.518) + (109.0 amu * 0.482) = 108.05 amu
2. Option 2: Ag-106 = 106.0 amu (60.0% abundance) and Ag-108 = 108.0 amu (40.0% abundance)
   Average atomic mass = (106.0 amu * 0.6) + (108.0 amu * 0.4) = 107.6 amu
3. Option 3: Ag-107 = 107.0 amu (40.0% abundance) and Ag-109 = 109.0 amu (60.0% abundance)
   Average atomic mass = (107.0 amu * 0.4) + (109.0 amu * 0.6) = 108.2 amu

Based on the calculations, only Option 1 has an average atomic mass close to 107.87 amu, which corresponds to the average atomic mass of silver. Therefore, Option 1 could correspond to an average sample of Ag.