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Exercises · 13.3

Q.(a) Two stable isotopes of lithium 36Li^{6}_{3}\text{Li} and 37Li^{7}_{3}\text{Li} have respective abundances of 7.5% and 92.5%. These isotopes have masses 6.01512 u and 7.01600 u, respectively. Find the atomic mass of lithium.

(b) Boron has two stable isotopes, 510B^{10}_{5}\text{B} and 511B^{11}_{5}\text{B}. Their respective masses are 10.01294 u and 11.00931 u, and the atomic mass of boron is 10.811 u. Find the abundances of 510B^{10}_{5}\text{B} and 511B^{11}_{5}\text{B}.
Rajasthan RbseTextbookSubjective· 3mImportance★★★★★est
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Weight each isotope's mass by its fractional abundance and add; for boron, set up the same equation with the abundance as the unknown and solve. Lithium's atomic mass ≈6.941 u\approx 6.941\ \text{u}; boron's isotopes are ≈19.9%\approx 19.9\% (10B^{10}\text{B}) and ≈80.1%\approx 80.1\% (11B^{11}\text{B}).

  1. Atomic mass of lithium The periodic-table atomic mass of an element is the abundance-weighted average over its naturally occurring isotopes:

    M=f1m1+f2m2M = f_1 m_1 + f_2 m_2

    where f1,f2f_1, f_2 are fractional abundances and m1,m2m_1, m_2 the isotopic masses.

    M(Li)=(0.075)(6.01512 u)+(0.925)(7.01600 u)M(\text{Li}) = (0.075)(6.01512\ \text{u}) + (0.925)(7.01600\ \text{u})

    =0.45113 u+6.48980 u=6.94093 u≈6.941 u= 0.45113\ \text{u} + 6.48980\ \text{u} = 6.94093\ \text{u} \approx 6.941\ \text{u}

    This matches the periodic-table value for lithium, a good sanity check.
  2. Abundances of boron isotopes Let xx be the fractional abundance of 510B^{10}_{5}\text{B}; then (1−x)(1-x) is the abundance of 511B^{11}_{5}\text{B}. The weighted average must equal boron's known atomic mass:

    10.811=x(10.01294)+(1−x)(11.00931)10.811 = x(10.01294) + (1-x)(11.00931)

    10.811=11.00931−x(11.00931−10.01294)10.811 = 11.00931 - x(11.00931 - 10.01294)

    10.811−11.00931=−x(0.99637)10.811 - 11.00931 = -x(0.99637)

    −0.19831=−0.99637 x  ⟹  x=0.198310.99637=0.1990-0.19831 = -0.99637\,x \implies x = \frac{0.19831}{0.99637} = 0.1990

    So 510B^{10}_{5}\text{B} is present at about 19.9%19.9\%, and 511B^{11}_{5}\text{B} makes up the remaining ≈80.1%\approx 80.1\% — close to boron's real isotopic ratio of roughly 1:4.
    ✓Final answer

    1. M(Li)≈6.941 uM(\text{Li}) \approx \boxed{6.941\ \text{u}}
    2. 510B≈19.9%^{10}_{5}\text{B} \approx \boxed{19.9\%}, 511B≈80.1%^{11}_{5}\text{B} \approx \boxed{80.1\%}

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