Chemical Forums
Chemistry Forums for Students => High School Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: kevinmorales on September 26, 2017, 09:38:10 PM
-
Hi,
This is my first time here :)
I have a pretty weird question. It kept bugging me so I had to ask here. One atomic mass unit is equal to 1,660 538 921 × 10−27 kg, which is theoratically equal to 1/12 of the mass of the carbon 12. But if I do the equation 1/12*(6*(proton mass)+6*(neutron mass))...basically (proton mass + neutron mass)/2 = (carbon 12 mass)/12, it equals to 1.674×10^-27 kilograms.... I find it pretty strange since it's supposed to be equal to one atomic mass unit.
Thank you for your time in advance :)
-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_binding_energy
-
Hi,
This is my first time here :)
I have a pretty weird question. It kept bugging me so I had to ask here. One atomic mass unit is equal to 1,660 538 921 × 10−27 kg, which is theoratically equal to 1/12 of the mass of the carbon 12. But if I do the equation 1/12*(6*(proton mass)+6*(neutron mass))...basically (proton mass + neutron mass)/2 = (carbon 12 mass)/12, it equals to 1.674×10^-27 kilograms.... I find it pretty strange since it's supposed to be equal to one atomic mass unit.
Thank you for your time in advance :)
You must have heard about mass defect ...?
-
The biggest error here is that you've forgotten the electron mass.