Log out Go to App
Go to App

Learning Materials

Features

Discover

Chapter 2: Problem 103

An element's most stable ion forms an ionic compound with bromine, having the formula \(\mathrm{XBr}_{2}\) . If the ion of element \(\mathrm{X}\) has a mass number of 230 and has 86 electrons, what is the identity of the element, and how many neutrons does it have?

Short Answer

Expert verified
The element X is radium (Ra) with an atomic number of 88, and it has 142 neutrons in its nucleus.

Step by step solution

01

Determine the charge of element X

Since the compound formed is XBr2, it means that one ion of element X combines with two ions of bromine (Br) to achieve electrical neutrality. Bromine has an atomic number of 35, which means it has 35 protons and 35 electrons in a neutral atom. When bromine forms an ion (Br-), it gains one electron to achieve a full outer electron shell, making it have 36 electrons. We can find the charge on the ion of element X: Ionic compound: XBr2 Total bromine charge: 2 * (-1) = -2 The combined charges must equal zero to achieve electrical neutrality, so the charge on the ion of element X must be +2.
02

Determine the atomic number of element X

Since the ion of element X has a charge of +2, it means that it has lost two electrons to achieve a full outer electron shell. The neutral atom of element X has the same number of electrons as protons. Given that the ion has 86 electrons, the neutral atom must have 88 electrons. Thus, the atomic number of element X is 88.
03

Identify the element X

Using the Periodic Table, we can identify the element with an atomic number of 88, which is radium (Ra).
04

Calculate the number of neutrons in element X

We know the mass number of element X is 230, and the atomic number is 88. The mass number is the sum of the protons and neutrons in the nucleus of the atom. We can find the number of neutrons in element X using the following equation: Number of neutrons = Mass number - Atomic number Number of neutrons = 230 - 88 Number of neutrons = 142 The identity of element X is radium (Ra), and it has 142 neutrons.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Start your free trial

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

The early alchemists used to do an experiment in which water was boiled for several days in a sealed glass container. Eventually, some solid residue would appear in the bottom of the flask, which was interpreted to mean that some of the water in the flask had been converted into “earth.” When Lavoisier repeated this experiment, he found that the water weighed the same before and after heating, and the mass of the flask plus the solid residue equaled the original mass of the flask. Were the alchemists correct? Explain what really happened. (This experiment is described in the article by A. F. Scott in Scientific American, January 1984.)

Write the formula for each of the following compounds: a. zinc chloride b. tin(IV) fluoride c. calcium nitride d. aluminum sulfide e. mercury(I) selenide f. silver iodide

What are the symbols of the following nonmetals: fluorine, chlorine, bromine, sulfur, oxygen,phosphorus?

For carbon-14 and carbon-12, how many protons and neutrons are in each nucleus? Assuming neutral atoms, how many electrons are present in an atom of carbon-14 and in an atom of carbon-12?

What is the symbol of an ion with 16 protons, 18 neutrons, and 18 electrons? What is the symbol for an ion that has 16 protons, 16 neutrons, and 18 electrons?
See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Chemistry Textbooks

Ionic and Molecular Compounds

Read Explanation

Physical Chemistry

Read Explanation

Kinetics

Read Explanation

Making Measurements

Read Explanation

The Earths Atmosphere

Read Explanation

Nuclear Chemistry

Read Explanation
View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.

Sign-up for free