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Science lesson plan · 10th grade (Year 11 in England) · 45 minutes

Relative atomic mass from isotope abundances

Atoms, elements and the periodic table

CCSS NGSS.HS-PS1-1CCSS NGSS.SEP 5England: GCSE Combined Science: Atomic structure (relative atomic mass)

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Relative atomic mass from isotope abundances.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Atomic number, mass number and isotopes

Leads to: the next skill in this area.

Materials: Periodic tables, Atom model kits, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 5 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Atomic number, mass number and isotopes). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. An atom of neon is written ²⁰₁₀Ne (mass number 20, atomic number 10). How many electrons does it have? → 10Prompt: Atomic number = number of protons (= electrons in a neutral atom).
  2. Uranium has atomic number 92. How many neutrons are in the isotope uranium-238? → 146Prompt: The number after the name is the mass number.
  3. A sodium atom loses one electron to become a sodium ion. What is its charge? (0 / +1 / −1 / +11) → +1Prompt: It now has one more proton than electrons.

Hook · 5 min

  • Show the periodic table and ask what patterns students can see before anything is explained.
  • Share the objective: Relative atomic mass from isotope abundances. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 10 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: Natural boron contains 20 % of mass 10 and 80 % of mass 11. Calculate its relative atomic mass to 1 decimal place.
  • Step 1: 10 × 20 + 11 × 80 = 1080
  • Step 2: 1080 ÷ 100 = 10.8
  • Step 3: So the answer is: 10.8
  • Answer: 10.8
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 10 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. Natural boron contains 20 % of mass 10 and 80 % of mass 11. Calculate its relative atomic mass to 1 decimal place. → 10.8Prompt: Multiply each mass by its percentage abundance.
  2. An element has two isotopes: mass 76 (90 %) and mass 78 (10 %). What is its relative atomic mass? Give 1 decimal place. → 76.2Prompt: The answer must lie between the two isotope masses.

You do: independent practice · 10 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 5 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Why is the relative atomic mass of chlorine 35.5 and not a whole number? (Chlorine atoms have half a neutron / Electrons add 0.5 / It is measured badly / It is an average of its isotopes, weighted by abundance) → It is an average of its isotopes, weighted by abundancePrompt: Natural chlorine is a mixture of Cl-35 and Cl-37.
  2. An element has two isotopes: mass 66 (20 %) and mass 68 (80 %). What is its relative atomic mass? Give 1 decimal place. → 67.6Prompt: The answer must lie between the two isotope masses.

Watch out for

  • Everyday meanings of words getting in the way of the science meaning: define key words explicitly.
  • Remembering facts without the reason: ask "why?" and "what is the evidence?"

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Atomic number, mass number and isotopes.
  • Use concrete materials: periodic tables.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/science/grade-10.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Relative atomic mass from isotope abundances

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    An element has two isotopes: mass 59 (20 %) and mass 61 (80 %). What is its relative atomic mass? Give 1 decimal place.

    Answer

  2. Question 2

    Natural magnesium contains 79 % of mass 24 and 10 % of mass 25 and 11 % of mass 26. Calculate its relative atomic mass to 1 decimal place.

    Answer

  3. Question 3

    What are isotopes?

    • A. atoms of different elements with the same mass
    • B. atoms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons
    • C. ions with different charges
    • D. atoms with different numbers of protons

  4. Question 4

    An element has two isotopes: mass 35 (25 %) and mass 37 (75 %). What is its relative atomic mass? Give 1 decimal place.

    Answer

  5. Question 5

    Natural copper contains 69 % of mass 63 and 31 % of mass 65. Calculate its relative atomic mass to 1 decimal place.

    Answer

  6. Question 6

    Do isotopes of the same element react differently in chemical reactions?

    • A. Yes: heavier isotopes are always more reactive
    • B. Yes: they have different numbers of protons
    • C. No: they have the same electron arrangement, so their chemistry is the same
    • D. No: isotopes never react

  7. Question 7

    An element has two isotopes: mass 27 (90 %) and mass 29 (10 %). What is its relative atomic mass? Give 1 decimal place.

    Answer

  8. Question 8

    Carbon-12 and carbon-14 are isotopes. How many neutrons does carbon-14 have? (Carbon has 6 protons.)

    • A. 14
    • B. 6
    • C. 12
    • D. 8

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Answer key: Relative atomic mass from isotope abundances

  1. 1. 60.6

  2. 2. 24.3

  3. 3. B. atoms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons

  4. 4. 36.5

  5. 5. 63.6

  6. 6. C. No: they have the same electron arrangement, so their chemistry is the same

  7. 7. 27.2

  8. 8. D. 8