Chapter 3: Problem 23

The ratio between the number of neutrons present in \(\mathrm{C}^{12}\) and \(\mathrm{Si}^{30}\) atoms is

Short Answer

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Answer: The ratio between the number of neutrons present in Carbon-12 and Silicon-30 atoms is 3:8.

Step by step solution

Calculate the number of neutrons for Carbon-12 (C-12)

To find the number of neutrons in Carbon-12, we first need to know the atomic number of carbon, which is 6 (it has 6 protons). The mass number is given as 12. The number of neutrons in C-12 can be found by: Number of neutrons (C-12) = Mass number (C-12) - Atomic number (Carbon) = 12 - 6 = 6

Calculate the number of neutrons for Silicon-30 (Si-30)

To find the number of neutrons in Silicon-30, we first need to know the atomic number of silicon, which is 14 (it has 14 protons). The mass number is given as 30. The number of neutrons in Si-30 can be found by: Number of neutrons (Si-30) = Mass number (Si-30) - Atomic number (Silicon) = 30 - 14 = 16

Calculate the ratio of neutrons in C-12 and Si-30

Now that we have the number of neutrons for both C-12 and Si-30, we can find the ratio between them by dividing the number of neutrons in C-12 by the number of neutrons in Si-30: Neutron ratio = Number of neutrons (C-12) / Number of neutrons (Si-30) = 6 / 16 = 3 / 8 The ratio between the number of neutrons present in Carbon-12 and Silicon-30 atoms is 3:8.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Atomic Number

In the world of chemistry, the atomic number is the cornerstone of understanding elements. It is the number that defines each element and tells us how many protons are in the nucleus of an atom. For example, carbon has an atomic number of 6, which means every carbon atom has 6 protons. This is true regardless of the type of carbon isotope.

Knowing the atomic number is crucial when calculating the number of neutrons in an atom since the number of protons (atomic number) must be subtracted from the mass number to find the total number of neutrons.

Mass Number

The mass number, meanwhile, represents the total number of protons plus neutrons in an atom's nucleus. Unlike the atomic number, the mass number can vary because atoms of the same element can have different numbers of neutrons.

For instance, Carbon-12 has a mass number of 12 which indicates the sum of its 6 protons and 6 neutrons. By contrasting this with the atomic number, we can perform neutron calculations, a fundamental step in solving neutron ratio problems.

Isotopes

Isotopes add variety to the chemical elements we are familiar with. They are forms of the same element that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons, leading to varying mass numbers. Carbon-12 and Carbon-14, for instance, are isotopes of carbon; both have 6 protons, but Carbon-14 has 8 neutrons instead of 6.

In exercises involving neutron ratio calculations, understanding isotopes aids in discerning why elements with the same atomic number can have different mass numbers, which in turn leads to different neutron counts.

Chemical Elements

Chemical elements are the building blocks of matter, each with its own unique set of properties determined by its atomic structure, including its number of protons, neutrons, and electrons. In the context of neutron ratio calculation, it's only the protons and neutrons that concern us.

In our exercise, we analyzed the chemical elements carbon and silicon to find neutron ratios. Mastering neutron ratio calculations allows students to understand the nuclear composition of chemical elements more deeply and how that composition affects the characteristics and behavior of the elements.

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The ratio between the number of neutrons present in \(\mathrm{C}^{12}\) and \(\mathrm{Si}^{30}\) atoms is

Short Answer

Step by step solution

Calculate the number of neutrons for Carbon-12 (C-12)

Calculate the number of neutrons for Silicon-30 (Si-30)

Calculate the ratio of neutrons in C-12 and Si-30

Key Concepts

Atomic Number

Mass Number

Isotopes

Chemical Elements

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