Log out Go to App
Go to App

Learning Materials

Features

Discover

Chapter 2: Problem 23

The number of protons in an atom determines the identity of the atom. What does the number and arrangement of the electrons in an atom determine? What does the number of neu- trons in an atom determine?

Short Answer

Expert verified
The number and arrangement of electrons in an atom determine the atom's chemical properties and reactivity, as electrons in the valence shell are involved in chemical bonding. The number of neutrons in an atom, along with the number of protons, determines the atom's mass number and atomic weight. While neutrons don't directly influence chemical properties, they contribute to the atom's stability and formation of isotopes, some of which can be radioactive.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding Atoms

Atoms are the basic building blocks of matter, and they consist of three main particles: protons, neutrons, and electrons. Protons are positively charged particles, neutrons are neutral particles, and electrons are negatively charged particles. The number of protons in an atom determines the element's atomic number and its identity.
02

Role of Electrons

The number and arrangement of electrons in an atom determine the atom's chemical properties and how it will interact with other atoms. Electrons are found in specific energy levels, called shells or orbitals, at various distances from the nucleus. The outermost shell, known as the valence shell, plays a crucial role in the chemical reactivity of an element, as it is where chemical bonding occurs. Atoms with similar electron configurations in their valence shells tend to have similar chemical properties.
03

Role of Neutrons

The number of neutrons in an atom, along with the number of protons, determines the atom's mass number and atomic weight. Neutrons contribute to the overall mass of the nucleus but do not directly influence the atom's chemical properties. However, they play a significant role in determining an atom's stability. Atoms of the same element can have different numbers of neutrons, resulting in isotopes of the element. Some isotopes may be stable, while others can be radioactive, decaying spontaneously over time.

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

In a reaction, \(34.0 \mathrm{~g}\) of chromium(III) oxide reacts with \(12.1 \mathrm{~g}\) of aluminum to produce chromium and aluminum oxide. If \(23.3 \mathrm{~g}\) of chromium is produced, what mass of aluminum \(\mathrm{ox}\) ide is produced?

A combustion reaction involves the reaction of a substance with oxygen gas. The complete combustion of any hydrocarbon (binary compound of carbon and hydrogen) produces carbon dioxide and water as the only products. Octane is a hydrocarbon that is found in gasoline. Complete combustion of octane produces \(8 \mathrm{~L}\) of carbon dioxide for every \(9 \mathrm{~L}\) of water vapor (both measured at the same temperature and pressure). What is the ratio of carbon atoms to hydrogen atoms in a molecule of octane?

For each of the following sets of elements, label each as either noble gases, halogens, alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, or transition metals. a. \(\mathrm{Ti}, \mathrm{Fe}, \mathrm{Ag}\) b. \(\mathrm{Mg}, \mathrm{Sr}, \mathrm{Ba}\) c. \(\mathrm{Li}, \mathrm{K}, \mathrm{Rb}\) d. Ne, \(\mathrm{Kr}, \mathrm{Xe}\) e. \(\mathrm{F}, \mathrm{Br}, \mathrm{I}\)

If the volume of a proton were similar to the volume of an electron, how will the densities of these two particles compare to each other?

Four \(\mathrm{Fe}^{2+}\) ions are key components of hemoglobin, the protein that transports oxygen in the blood. Assuming that these ions are \(^{53} \mathrm{Fe}^{2+}\), how many protons and neutrons are present in each nucleus, and how many electrons are present in each ion?
See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Chemistry Textbooks

The Earths Atmosphere

Read Explanation

Inorganic Chemistry

Read Explanation

Chemistry Branches

Read Explanation

Nuclear Chemistry

Read Explanation

Kinetics

Read Explanation

Making Measurements

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