< Minutes of 43rd IUPAC Council
19 Oct 2005 04:49 Age: 8 year
Category: Publications

Standard Atomic Weights Revised


The Commission on Isotopic Abundances and Atomic Weights (II.1) met for two days, on 10-11 August 2005, during the 43rd IUPAC General Assembly in Beijing. Following its meeting, the Commission released the changes to the standard atomic weights, Ar(E), of 16 chemical elements. The following changes are based on new determinations of isotopic abundances and reviews of previous isotopic abundances and atomic masses:

From

To

Aluminium

26.981 538 (2)

26.981 5386 (8)

Bismuth

208.980 38 (2)

208.980 40 (1)

Caesium

132.905 45 (2)

132.905 4519 (2)

Cobalt

58.933 200 (9)

58.933 195 (5)

Gold

196.966 55 (2)

196.966 569 (4)

Lanthanum

138.9055 (2)

138.905 47 (7)

Manganese

54.938 049 (9)

54.938 045 (5)

Neodymium

 

144.24 (3)

 

144.242 (3)

Phosphorus

30.973 761 (2)

30.973 762 (2)

Platinum

 

195.078 (2)

 

195.084 (9)

Samarium

 

150.36 (3)

 

150.36 (2)

Scandium

44.955 910 (8)

44.955 912 (6)

Sodium

22.989 770 (2)

22.989 769 28 (2)

Tantalum

 

180.9479 (1)

 

180.947 88 (2)

Terbium

158.925 34 (2)

158.925 35 (2)

Thorium

232.0381 (1)

232.038 06 (2)

The values are presented in a concise notation whereby the standard uncertainty is given in parenthesis next to the least significant digits to which it applies; for example, Ar(Al) = 26.981 538 (2) is the concise form of the expression Ar(Al) = 26.981 538 ± 0.000 002

These changes in the atomic weights will be published in a new Table of Standard Atomic Weights 2005, which will be submitted for publication in Pure and Applied Chemistry* by the end of 2005. The commission also continued its review of publications of variations in the natural isotopic abundances. For more details about the Commission meeting in Beijing, see Chem. Int. Nov/Dec 2005 issue, Division Roundups on p. 7, or contact Michael E. Wieser mwieser@ucalgary.ca, secretary of the Commission. (first posted 19 Oct 2005)

* IUPAC Technical Report published as Pure Appl. Chem. 78(11), 2051-2066, 2006

release published in Chem. Int. Nov/Dec 2005 issue

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