Name:___________________________________ Date:_______ Topic: Nuclear Classwork

Proving Dalton Wrong

Learning Objective:

The student is able to use data from mass spectrometry to identify the elements and the masses of
individual atoms of a specific element.

Chemistry Standards:

Essential knowledge 1.D.2: An early model of the atom stated that all atoms of an element are
identical. Mass spectrometry data demonstrate evidence that contradicts this early model.

a. Data from mass spectrometry demonstrate evidence that an early model of the atom
(Daltons model) is incorrect; these data then require a modification of that model.
b. Data from mass spectrometry also demonstrate direct evidence of different isotopes from
the same element.
c. The average atomic mass can be estimated from mass spectra.

Common Core Standards:

WHST1: Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content. Write arguments focused on discipline-specific
content. a. Introduce precise claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an
organization that establishes clear relationships among the claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence

Background:

Atoms can be deflected by magnetic fields - provided the atom is first turned into an ion.
Electrically charged particles are affected by a magnetic field although electrically neutral ones
aren't.

The sequence is:

Stage 1: I onization
The atom is ionized by knocking one or more electrons off to give a positive ion. This is true
even for things which you would normally expect to form negative ions (chlorine, for example)
or never form ions at all (argon, for example). Mass spectrometers always work with positive
ions.

Stage 2: Acceleration
The ions are accelerated so that they all have the same kinetic energy.

Stage 3: Deflection
The ions are then deflected by a magnetic field according to their masses. The lighter they are,
the more they are deflected.
The amount of deflection also depends on the number of positive charges on the ion - in other
words, on how many electrons were knocked off in the first stage. The more the ion is charged,
the more it gets deflected.

Stage 4: Detection
The beam of ions passing through the machine is detected electrically.

What the mass spectrometer output looks like:

The output from the chart recorder is usually simplified into a "stick diagram". This shows the
relative current produced by ions of varying mass/charge ratio. The stick diagram for
molybdenum looks like this:



You may find diagrams in which the vertical axis is labeled as either "relative abundance" or
"relative intensity". Whichever is used, it means the same thing. The vertical scale is related to
the current received by the chart recorder - and so to the number of ions arriving at the detector:
the greater the current, the more abundant the ion.

As you will see from the diagram, the commonest ion has a mass/charge ratio of 98. Other ions
have mass/charge ratios of 92, 94, 95, 96, 97 and 100.

That means that molybdenum consists of 7 different isotopes. Assuming that the ions all have a
charge of 1
+
, that means that the masses of the 7 isotopes on the carbon-12 scale are 92, 94, 95,
96, 97, 98 and 100.

Questions:

1) In the standards it says that the mass spectra is proof that Daltons statement that every atom
of a given element is exactly alike.



a) Discuss what molybdenums mass spectra would look like if
Daltons postulate was true.




b) On the blank mass spectrogram, draw what the mass
spectrum of molybdenum would look like if it only
consisted of on isotope Mo-98.




c) Discuss how molybdenums actual mass spectrum is proof
that Daltons postulate was wrong.



2) The diagram to the right shows the mass spectrum of carbon.

a) Based on the mass spectrum of carbon, describe the two
naturally occurring isotopes.



b) Discuss their relative abundances of each isotope.
Discuss how the atomic weight found on the periodic
table tells us carbon must have two stable isotopes.



c) Discuss how the atomic weight or carbon show that
carbon-12 is much more abundant than carbon-13.


3) There are two naturally occurring isotopes of
chlorine, Cl-35 and Cl-37.

a) Discuss the three possible isotopic
combinations for Cl
2
.


b) Describe how the mass spectrum of chlorine shows the three possible isotopic
combinations.



c) Discuss the two peaks at 35 and 37 on the mass spectrogram of chlorine. What happens
in the ionizer to cause these peaks?




d) Discuss how the mass spectrogram of chlorine shows the relative abundances of chlorine.

Isotope
Atomic mass
(m
a
/u)
Natural abundance (atom
%)
Nuclear spin
(I)
Magnetic moment
(/
N
)
35
Cl 34.968852721 (69) 75.78 (4)
3
/
2
0.8218736
37
Cl 36.96590262 (11) 24.22 (4)
3
/
2
0.6841230




4) Below show the abundance data for Bromine and its mass spectrogram.

Isotope
Atomic mass
(m
a
/u)
Natural abundance (atom
%)
Nuclear spin
(I)
Magnetic moment
(/
N
)
79
Br 78.9183361 (26) 50.69 (7)
3
/
2
2.106399
81
Br 80.916289 (6) 49.31 (7)
3
/
2
2.270560





a) Discuss all the mass spectrum lines found in bromine. Include why the 160 line is most
abundant.



b) Calculate the atomic weight of bromine.




c) Discuss how we can use the mass spectrogram to estimate bromines atomic weight.



5) The data table shows the atomic mass and abundance of the two isotopes of boron.



a) In the box to the right draw the mass
spectrum form boron.

b) Justify the length of each line.




c) Discuss how the length of each isotopes line
can be used to estimate the atomic weight of
boron.














6) The mass spectrogram shows the two isotopes of copper, Cu-63 and Cu-65. Please note in
the picture, the most intense ion is set to 100% since this corresponds best to the output from
a mass spectrometer. This is not to be confused with the relative percentage isotope
abundances which total 100% for all the naturally occurring isotopes.










Reflection:

Discuss how mass spectrometry can be used to show isotopes exist on how Daltons original
postulate was wrong. You must state the postulate and the evidence that states it was wrong.