Latifa S.
asked • 09/28/18lithium has two naturally occurring isotopes
lithium has two naturally occurring isotopes: lithium -6 and lithium -7, if the average atomic mass of lithium is 6.941 amu, which isotope is the most abundant? how do you know?
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1 Expert Answer
Arturo O. answered • 09/28/18
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Look up the amu of Li6 (call it x) and Li7 (call it y).
a = % abundance of Li6
100 - a = % abundance of Li7
Solve for "a" in
(a/100)x + [(100 - a)/100]y = 6.941 amu
If a > 100 - a, there is more Li6.
Arturo O.
If you do not need to know the % abundance, you can check if 6.941 is closer to x or closer to y. If it is closer to x, there is more Li6.
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09/28/18
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Samantha R.
Li-7 because when you calculate the abundance of both isotopes Li-6 =5.9% and Li-7=94.1% You see that Li-7 is most abundant. If Li-7 abundance is "x" then Li-6 abundance is "1-x" so: 7x+6-6x=6.94102/01/21