Mass Number of Aluminum
Basic Description
The mass number of an element is the total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of one of its atoms. For aluminum (Al), the most common isotope has a mass number of 27.
This isotope of aluminum is written as 27Al, where:
- 13 is the atomic number (number of protons)
- 14 is the number of neutrons (27 − 13)
Atomic Structure of Aluminum
Aluminum has:
- 13 protons
- 13 electrons in a neutral atom
- 14 neutrons in its most abundant isotope
These subatomic particles contribute to its atomic identity and behavior. Only the protons and neutrons contribute significantly to the mass number.
Summary
The most abundant and stable isotope of aluminum has a mass number of 27. This value plays an important role in nuclear chemistry, atomic structure calculations, and identification of isotopes.