Have you ever wondered why the atomic mass listed on the periodic table isn't a whole number? This video explains how weighted averages are calculated and relates the average to the relative atomic mass. Viewers are then given an element and isotopes and asked to predict the weighted average. 

Concepts

mean, atomic mass, the nucleus, the periodic table, carbon dating, protons, neutrons, isotopes

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Additional Tags

science

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Instructional Ideas

• Create your own examples of elements with isotopes, such as Barium and Xenon, so class members can interpret the weighted atomic mass 

Classroom Considerations

• Requires prior knowledge of the parts of an element and isotopes
• Ideally, this video comes after scholars understand the periodic table and its organization
• Video is the third in a series of 29

Pros

• Utilizes a graphic of a scale that most viewers will understand
• Teaches the topic from more than one perspective to allow for greater understanding

Cons

• None

Common Core

MP1 MP2