b The relative atomic mass of chlorine is 35.5 . What does this tell you about the relative
abundance of the two naturally occurring isotopes of chlorine?

The relative atomic mass of chlorine, 35.5, indicates that it is primarily a mix of two isotopes: chlorine-35 (with an atomic mass of 35) and chlorine-37 (with an atomic mass of 37). This average value suggests that chlorine-35 is more abundant than chlorine-37 since the calculation trends towards the lower mass number. Specifically, for every 100 atoms of chlorine, approximately 75-76 may be chlorine-35, while around 24-25 would be chlorine-37.

In practical terms, the existence of these isotopes allows chemists and scientists to use chlorine in various applications, from disinfecting water to synthesizing organic compounds. The balance of these isotopes also plays a crucial role in mass spectrometry, where the presence of different isotopes can affect the readings and the conclusions drawn about chemical processes.