Neutral Atoms, Ions, and Isotopes

Front

What is a neutral atom?

Back

A neutral atom is an atom that has an equal number of protons (p+) and electrons (e-), resulting in no overall charge.

Front

What happens to an atom when it loses an electron?

Back

When an atom loses an electron, it becomes a positive ion (cation) because it has more protons than electrons.

Front

What is an isotope?

Back

An isotope is a variant of a chemical element that has the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons, resulting in a different atomic mass.

Front

What are the charges of protons, electrons, and neutrons?

Back

Protons (p+) have a positive charge, electrons (e-) have a negative charge, and neutrons (n) have no charge (neutral).

Front

What is a positive ion?

Back

A positive ion, or cation, is formed when an atom loses one or more electrons, resulting in a net positive charge.

Front

What is a negative ion?

Back

A negative ion, or anion, is formed when an atom gains one or more electrons, resulting in a net negative charge.

Front

How do you determine the charge of an ion?

Back

The charge of an ion can be determined by comparing the number of protons and electrons: if protons > electrons, it's a positive ion; if protons < electrons, it's a negative ion.

Front

What is the atomic number of an element?

Back

The atomic number of an element is the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom, which determines the element's identity.

Front

What is the mass number of an atom?

Back

The mass number of an atom is the total number of protons and neutrons in its nucleus.

Front

How do isotopes of the same element differ?

Back

Isotopes of the same element differ in the number of neutrons they contain, which affects their mass but not their chemical properties.