Question

Identify whether the given value is a statistic or a parameter.

Periodic table The average (mean) atomic weight of all elements in the periodic table is 134.355 unified atomic mass units.

Short answer

The value of the average atomic weight calculated for all elements present in the periodic table is equal to 134.355 unified atomic mass units and represents a parameter.

Step-by-step solution

Given information

In the periodic table, the mean atomic weight (in unified atomic mass units) of all the elements equals 134.355.

Statistic and parameter

Numbers that summarise a population under study are called parameters. For example, the average height of all American men is equal to 5 feet and 9 inches. This is a parameter.

Numbers that summarise a sample selected from a population are called statistics. For example, the average capacity of a sample of 30 tanks is equal to 1000 gallons. This is a statistic.

Identification of statistic and parameter

Since the average atomic weight (in unified atomic mass units) equal to 134.355 is calculated for all elements present in the periodic table, it is aparameter.