Log out Go to App
Go to App

Learning Materials

Features

Discover

Chapter 3: Problem 91

A student claims that isotopes of the same element have the same number of electrons and protons. Is she correct? Justify your answer.

Short Answer

Expert verified
The student is correct. Isotopes of the same element have the same number of electrons and protons. This is because they share the same atomic number (and thus the same number of protons) and have the same number of electrons to maintain a neutral charge in the atom.

Step by step solution

01

Definition of an Isotope

An isotope is a variant of a particular element that has the same number of protons (and thus the same atomic number) but a different number of neutrons, leading to a different atomic mass.
02

Number of Protons in Isotopes

Since isotopes of the same element have the same atomic number, they share the same number of protons in their atomic nucleus.
03

Number of Electrons in Isotopes

Because an atom is neutral, the number of electrons in the atom must be equal to the number of protons to balance the positive and negative charges. Therefore, isotopes of the same element also have the same number of electrons.
04

Conclusion

The student is correct: isotopes of the same element have the same number of electrons and protons. This is because isotopes of the same element share the same atomic number (and thus the same number of protons) and have the same number of electrons to maintain a neutral charge in the atom.

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

Use the elements lithium, potassium, and sodium to explain what is meant by chemical periodicity.

In the reaction of lithium, \(\mathrm{Li}\), with nitrogen, \(\mathrm{N}_{2}\) three lithium atoms react with one nitrogen atom to give the compound \(\mathrm{Li}_{3} \mathrm{~N}\). Atoms of one of these elements lose one electron; atoms of the other element gain three electrons. (a) Which element gains the three electrons? Explain your choice. (b) Does the element that gained three electrons become a cation or an anion? (c) Give the full atomic symbol for the ion of part (b), assuming it has seven neutrons in its nucleus.

Calcium reacts with fluorine to form the compound \(\mathrm{CaF}_{2}\). In the reaction, each atom of one of the elements loses two electrons, and each atom of the other element gains one electron. (a) Atoms of which element gain electrons? (b) Atoms of which element lose electrons? (c) What is the charge on the atoms that gain one electron? (d) What is the charge on the atoms that lose two electrons? (e) Write the full atomic symbol, including charges, for each element. Give Ca 20 neutrons and F 10 neutrons.

When wood burns, it combines with oxygen from the atmosphere to produce carbon dioxide, water vapor, and ash. What would you have to do to prove that the law of conservation of matter is not disobeyed when wood burns?

How does a group differ from a period in the periodic table?
See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Chemistry Textbooks

Organic Chemistry

Read Explanation

Kinetics

Read Explanation

Chemical Analysis

Read Explanation

Ionic and Molecular Compounds

Read Explanation

Chemistry Branches

Read Explanation

The Earths Atmosphere

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