For every one 37Cl isotope there are three 35Cl isotopes in a sample o...
**The Average Atomic Mass of Chlorine**
To find the average atomic mass of chlorine, we need to consider the different isotopes of chlorine and their respective abundances.
**Isotopes of Chlorine**
Chlorine has two main isotopes - 35Cl and 37Cl. The numbers 35 and 37 refer to the mass numbers of the isotopes, which represent the sum of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of the atom.
**Abundance of Isotopes**
The question states that for every one 37Cl isotope, there are three 35Cl isotopes. This means that the abundance ratio of 37Cl to 35Cl is 1:3.
To calculate the average atomic mass, we need to consider the weighted average of the masses of the isotopes, taking into account their respective abundances.
**Calculating the Average Atomic Mass**
Let's assign the abundance of 37Cl as x and the abundance of 35Cl as 3x. Since the sum of the abundances should equal 1, we have the equation:
x + 3x = 1
Simplifying this equation, we find:
4x = 1
x = 1/4
So, the abundance of 37Cl is 1/4, and the abundance of 35Cl is 3/4.
Now, we can calculate the average atomic mass using the formula:
Average Atomic Mass = (mass of isotope 1 * abundance of isotope 1) + (mass of isotope 2 * abundance of isotope 2)
= (35 * 3/4) + (37 * 1/4)
= 105/4 + 37/4
= 142/4
= 35.5
Therefore, the average atomic mass of chlorine is 35.5, which corresponds to option C.
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