Atomic weight
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The atomic weight or standard atomic weight (Ar, standard(E)) of a chemical element is the weighted arithmetic mean of the relative isotopic masses of all isotopes of that element weighted by each isotope's abundance on Earth. For example, isotope 63Cu (Ar = 62.929) constitutes 69% of the copper on Earth, the rest being 65Cu (Ar = 64.927):
- Ar, standard(29Cu) = 0.69 x 62.929 + 0.31 x 64.927 = 63.55
Because relative isotopic masses are dimensionless quantities, this weighted mean is also dimensionless. It can be converted into a measure of mass (with dimension M) by multiplying it with the dalton, also known as the atomic mass constant.
