key term - Oxygen Atom Weight

Definition

The atomic weight of oxygen is the weighted average mass of an atom of oxygen based on the relative abundance of different isotopes. It's approximately 16 atomic mass units (amu).

Related terms

Isotope:

An isotope is a variant form of an element with differing numbers of neutrons but same number of protons.

Atomic Mass Unit (amu): This is a unit used to express atomic and molecular weights, equivalent to 1/12th the mass of one carbon-12 atom.

Relative Atomic Mass: This refers to the calculated weighted mean value for the masses of various isotopic atoms compared to 1/12th the mass of carbon-12.