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Chapter 5: Problem 2

Why is an iron atom a different element from a sodium atom? a. A sodium atom has fewer neutrons in its nucleus than an iron atom has. b. An iron atom has more protons in its nucleus than a sodium atom has. c. A sodium atom is bigger than an iron atom. d. A sodium atom has more electrons.

Short Answer

Expert verified
b. An iron atom has more protons in its nucleus than a sodium atom has.

Step by step solution

01

Identify the Characteristic That Defines an Element

Elements are defined by the number of protons in their nuclei. The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom is called its atomic number.
02

Compare the Number of Protons

An iron atom has 26 protons, and a sodium atom has 11 protons. The key difference is that the number of protons is not the same.
03

Evaluate Each Option

Let’s check each given option:a. Neutron number difference does not define the element.b. This is true; iron has more protons (26) than sodium (11).c. The size does not define the element.d. Number of electrons varies depending on the ion state and also does not define the element.
04

Determine the Correct Answer

Option b accurately describes why an iron atom and a sodium atom are different elements. The defining feature is the number of protons in their nuclei.

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Key Concepts

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

Protons
Protons are positively charged particles found in the nucleus of an atom. They are fundamental to the structure of the atom and carry a charge of +1. Each element has a unique number of protons, which determines its chemical properties and its place in the periodic table.

For instance, an iron atom has 26 protons, while a sodium atom has 11. This difference in the number of protons is a key factor in differentiating these two elements.

The number of protons (atomic number) remains constant for a given element and determines the identity of that element.
Atomic Number
The atomic number is the count of protons in the nucleus of an atom. It is denoted by the symbol Z. This number is crucial because it defines which element an atom belongs to.

For example, Z=26 for iron (Fe) and Z=11 for sodium (Na). These atomic numbers mean that every iron atom has 26 protons and every sodium atom has 11 protons.

The atomic number is always a whole number and increases as you move from one element to the next in the periodic table.
Element Differentiation
Element differentiation is the process by which atoms are categorized into different elements based on their atomic number. Since the number of protons is unique to each element, it’s the primary way we distinguish between different types of atoms.

This means that even if two atoms have the same number of electrons or neutrons, they are different elements if their proton counts differ.

Therefore, iron and sodium are two different elements because they have different numbers of protons in their nuclei: 26 for iron and 11 for sodium.
Neutrons
Neutrons are neutral particles also found in the nucleus of an atom. They have no charge but are similar in mass to protons.

The number of neutrons can vary in atoms of the same element, resulting in different isotopes of that element. Despite these variations, they do not change the identity of the element since that is defined solely by the number of protons (atomic number).

For example, both hydrogen-1 and hydrogen-2 (deuterium) are hydrogen isotopes with 1 proton, but they have 0 and 1 neutron respectively.
Electrons
Electrons are negatively charged particles that orbit the nucleus of an atom in various energy levels or shells. They have a charge of -1.

In a neutral atom, the number of electrons is equal to the number of protons, balancing the charge. However, atoms can lose or gain electrons to form ions, which means the electron count can vary.

Despite this variability, the number of electrons does not change the identity of the element itself. This identity is determined by the number of protons in the nucleus.

For example, a neutral sodium atom has 11 electrons, but a sodium ion (Na⁺) has only 10 electrons.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

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