Definition of mass number in US English:
mass number
nounˈmæs ˌnəmbərˈmas ˌnəmbər
Physics The total number of protons and neutrons in a nucleus.
Example sentencesExamples
- The sum of the protons and neutrons is called the mass number.
- Different isotopes of the same element have different mass numbers because their nuclei contain different numbers of neutrons.
- The mass number gives you the total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of that element.
- Various numbers are used to define nuclei: the atomic number, Z, is the number of protons, while the mass number is the sum of the atomic number and the number of neutrons, N.
- Mathematical calculations employing the proportions and mass numbers have assigned titanium a mean atomic weight of 47.88.