what does the atomic mass of an element tells us about particles in an atom
The atomic mass of an element tells us the average mass of all the particles in an atom of that element. This includes the protons, neutrons, and electrons. Protons and neutrons are located in the nucleus of the atom, while electrons are found in orbitals around the nucleus.
The atomic mass is listed on the periodic table and is usually given in atomic mass units (amu). It is a weighted average of the masses of all the isotopes of that element. Isotopes are atoms of the same element that have different numbers of neutrons.
The atomic mass gives us a general idea of how heavy an atom of that element is compared to other elements. It is useful for calculations involving stoichiometry, where the mass relationships between atoms and compounds are important.
It should be noted that the atomic mass is not an exact number because it is an average. Additionally, the atomic mass does not give information about the arrangement or distribution of particles within the atom.