Candium lab

CANDIUM LAB

Introduction:   We are using a model of candium to explain atomic mass also to analyze the isotopes of candium and to figure out its atomic mass.     The only observation we had was that the 4 different types of candy all had different atomic masses due to size. The candies that are smaller like the skittles but are more solid inside should have the highest atomic mass. 

HYPOTHESIS: We can separate out the different types of candy into groups of 6 and then weigh each group of candy with the triple beam balance. We could also weigh each candy alone and compare there atomic masses side by side. We believe that the gobstoppers will weigh more and have more mass because they and denser and harder.

MATERIALS:   - Triple beam balance scale

                           - 4 types of candy (skittles, gobstopper, sixlets, m&m's)

                (Candies)

                  (Scale)

PROCEDURES: We got the candy in a mixed bag and we sorted one of each candy into four different isotopes. Then we found the mass of each isotope (six of each candy= one isotope)   Then we recorded average mass, percent abundance, relative abundance, relative mass, and average mass of each isotope.

DATA:












DISCUSSION: During the lab we acquired various types of candium and sorted them then measured all them in there candium groups while recording the mass and then put the data into a chart.
Possible errors: we could have weighed the candies with little regard to being 100% accurate. We could of also had errors recording the info.
We learned that the atomic mass of things isnt allways limited to size sometime atomic mass is inside the element or component. skittles had the highest atomic mass because of the solid core of the skittle.

Isotopes - are nuclear configurations of atoms, with a specific number of neutrons and a specific elemental type. In a corresponding manner, isotopes of the same element differ in mass number (or total number of nucleons per atom) but never in atomic number.


Relative Abundance  -Relative Abundance: the number of candy in each isotope.

Percent Abundance -  Percent Abundance: the percentage of each type of isotope that exists in a given sample of an element. 
 



For more info on the following Definitions go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/   


CONCLUSION: We reject our hypothesis because it was wrong. The skittle had the highest atomic mass because they have a hard solid center and the combined mass of the 6 skittles was alot higher than the combined mass of the other candies. our thought that the gobstopper had the higher atomic mass was wrong because the center is alot lighter than the skittle.  
One thing we would like to know is why the atomic mass of the sugar center had a higher atomic mass than the straight chocolate center.