Name: ____________________________
Block: _____ Date: _________________
Beanium Lab
Pre-lab: Answer each question in complete sentences.
1. Describe in general what the lab is about and what you will do (not step by step).
2. What is a real isotope (not a beanium isotope)?
3. How are we making a connection with beans and isotopes?
Data:
Mass of largest brown bean –
Mass of “average” brown bean –
Mass of smallest brown bean –
Calculations: Show all your work for the calculations and put your final answers in the data table.
1. Average Mass of one bean (blackium, brownium, and whitinum)
2. Percent Abundance
3. Using the average mass and the percent abundance, calculate the average atomic mass for
beanium. Use the direction on your lab sheet and show your calculations.
Average Atomic Mass: _____________________
Questions: Answer each question in complete sentences. Include any appropriate calculations.
4. What was different about each “isotope” of Beanium besides color? What was the same?
5. Explain why there might be differences between the atomic mass of your Beanium sample and
that of a different lab group. Explain why the difference would be smaller if larger samples (more
Beanium) were used for each group.
6. From the procedure you have data for 1) mass of one brown bean that is on the large side; 2) the
mass of one brown bean that is on the small side; 3) mass of one average size brown bean; and 4)
the average mass of all the brown beans in your sample. Fill in the values below.
Mass of small brown bean =
Mass of average brown bean =
Mass of large brown bean =
Average mass of all brown beans =
Which do you think is the most accurate, the average looking bean or the average of all brown
beans? Why?
7. The element chlorine has two isotopes. Cl atomic mass 35 has a percent abundance of 76% and Cl
atomic mass of 37 has a percent abundance of 24%. What is the weighted average atomic mass of
the element chlorine? Compare your answer to the reported atomic mass for chlorine on your
periodic table. SHOW CALCULATIONS!!!