Isotopes and Ions

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 happens to an atom when it loses or gains neutrons?

Back

When an atom loses or gains neutrons, it becomes an isotope of that element.

Front

What is the charge of a lithium atom that loses one electron?

Back

+1

Front

How do you determine the number of electrons in an atom with a given charge?

Back

To find the number of electrons, add the charge to the atomic number. For example, an atom with a charge of -2 and an atomic number of 16 has 18 electrons (16 + 2 = 18).

Front

What is the atomic number of an element?

Back

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

Front

How many neutrons does lithium have if its atomic mass is approximately 6.94?

Back

Lithium has 4 neutrons (atomic mass of 7 - atomic number of 3 = 4).

Front

What is an anion?

Back

An anion is a negatively charged ion that has gained one or more electrons.

Front

What is the octet rule?

Back

The octet rule states that atoms tend to gain, lose, or share electrons to achieve a full outer shell of eight electrons, which is considered stable.

Front

What is the difference between an isotope and an ion?

Back

An isotope differs in the number of neutrons, while an ion differs in the number of electrons, resulting in a charge.

Front

What is the charge of a neutral atom?

Back

A neutral atom has no charge, meaning the number of protons equals the number of electrons.