The atomic mass of sulfur listed in the periodic table reads 32.066 amu. Sulfur has two main isotopes: sulfur-32 and sulfur-34. Which of the following statements is FALSE? Group of answer choices: Some sulfur atoms contain 18 neutrons. On average, the mass of a sulfur atom is 32.066 amu. Some sulfur atoms weigh 32 amu. In nature, there are more sulfur-34 than sulfur-32 isotopes.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is: In nature, there are more sulfur-34 than sulfur-32 isotopes.
Explanation:
Sulfur has two main stable isotopes: sulfur-32 (³²S) and sulfur-34 (³⁴S). The atomic mass of sulfur listed on the periodic table (32.066 amu) represents the weighted average of the masses of these isotopes, based on their relative abundance in nature.
- Some sulfur atoms contain 18 neutrons:
This statement is true. Sulfur-32 has 16 protons (because sulfur’s atomic number is 16), and since the mass number of sulfur-32 is 32, the number of neutrons is 32 – 16 = 16 neutrons. Sulfur-34 has 34 – 16 = 18 neutrons. Therefore, some sulfur atoms (those that are sulfur-34) contain 18 neutrons. - On average, the mass of a sulfur atom is 32.066 amu:
This statement is true. The atomic mass listed on the periodic table is a weighted average of the masses of sulfur’s isotopes, which reflects the relative abundance of each isotope. The average mass, 32.066 amu, is influenced by the higher abundance of sulfur-32 relative to sulfur-34. - Some sulfur atoms weigh 32 amu:
This statement is true. Sulfur-32 has an atomic mass of exactly 32 amu. Since sulfur-32 is the most abundant isotope of sulfur, a significant fraction of sulfur atoms will weigh 32 amu. - In nature, there are more sulfur-34 than sulfur-32 isotopes:
This statement is false. In nature, sulfur-32 is much more abundant than sulfur-34. Approximately 95% of sulfur atoms are sulfur-32, while only about 4.2% are sulfur-34. This difference in abundance is why the atomic mass of sulfur is closer to 32 amu than to 34 amu.
Thus, the false statement is the one that claims there are more sulfur-34 isotopes than sulfur-32 in nature.
