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Chapter 3: Problem 92

A student claims that isotopes of the same element have the same number of neutrons but different numbers of protons. Is he correct? Justify your answer.

Short Answer

Expert verified
The student's claim is incorrect. Isotopes of the same element have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons, which affects their atomic mass.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding isotopes

Isotopes are atoms of the same element that have the same number of protons, but different numbers of neutrons. The primary difference among isotopes is their mass, which comes from the differing numbers of neutrons in the nucleus of the atoms.
02

Evaluating the student's claim

The student claims that isotopes of the same element have the same number of neutrons but different numbers of protons. This statement contradicts the definition of isotopes, which states that isotopes have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons.
03

Drawing a conclusion

The student's claim is incorrect. Isotopes of the same element have the same number of protons, but different numbers of neutrons. The difference in the number of neutrons is what distinguishes isotopes of the same element, as it affects their atomic mass.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

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

What else besides an atom's mass number would you need to determine its elemental identity? Explain how you would use it along with the mass number.

How does the arrangement of elements in the modern periodic table differ from that of Mendeleev's periodic table?

It always takes energy to remove an electron from a neutral atom. Explain why, and name the minimum amount of energy it takes to do this.

The first ionization energy is the minimum energy required to remove an electron from a neutral atom. Upon escape from the atom, how would the now free electron differ if you had used more energy than the minimum first ionization energy as compared to using the exact first ionization energy?
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