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Thomas Fritsch
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It makes sense to also assign mass numbers to the sub-atomic constituents:

  • A proton has mass number $1$.
  • A neutron has mass number $1$.
  • An electron has mass number $0$.

With this definition you consistently get the mass number of an atom/ion by summing the mass numbers of its constituents. For example: the Na atom and the Na$^+$ ion both have mass number $23$.

Don't confuse these mass numbers from above with the actual masses of the sub-atomic constituents:

  • An electron has mass $0.00055$ u.
  • A free proton has mass $1.0073$ u.
  • A free neutron has mass $1.0087$ u.
  • Protons and neutrons bound inside a nucleus have slightly smaller masses (typically less by $0.008$ u) due to the nuclear binding energy.

It makes sense to also assign mass numbers to the sub-atomic constituents:

  • A proton has mass number $1$.
  • A neutron has mass number $1$.
  • An electron has mass number $0$.

With this definition you consistently get the mass number of an atom/ion by summing the mass numbers of its constituents. For example: the Na atom and the Na$^+$ ion both have mass number $23$.

It makes sense to also assign mass numbers to the sub-atomic constituents:

  • A proton has mass number $1$.
  • A neutron has mass number $1$.
  • An electron has mass number $0$.

With this definition you consistently get the mass number of an atom/ion by summing the mass numbers of its constituents. For example: the Na atom and the Na$^+$ ion both have mass number $23$.

Don't confuse these mass numbers from above with the actual masses of the sub-atomic constituents:

  • An electron has mass $0.00055$ u.
  • A free proton has mass $1.0073$ u.
  • A free neutron has mass $1.0087$ u.
  • Protons and neutrons bound inside a nucleus have slightly smaller masses (typically less by $0.008$ u) due to the nuclear binding energy.
Source Link
Thomas Fritsch
  • 41k
  • 13
  • 75
  • 144

It makes sense to also assign mass numbers to the sub-atomic constituents:

  • A proton has mass number $1$.
  • A neutron has mass number $1$.
  • An electron has mass number $0$.

With this definition you consistently get the mass number of an atom/ion by summing the mass numbers of its constituents. For example: the Na atom and the Na$^+$ ion both have mass number $23$.