Review Atoms, Ions, Isotopes

Front

What is an isotope?

Back

Isotopes are variants of a particular chemical element that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons, resulting in different atomic masses.

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 determines the element's identity.

Front

What is a cation?

Back

A cation is a positively charged ion that occurs when an atom loses one or more electrons.

Front

What is an anion?

Back

An anion is a negatively charged ion that occurs when an atom gains one or more electrons.

Front

How do you determine the number of neutrons in an atom?

Back

The number of neutrons can be determined by subtracting the atomic number from the atomic mass (rounded to the nearest whole number).

Front

What is the significance of valence electrons?

Back

Valence electrons are the outermost electrons of an atom and are important for determining how an atom will bond with other atoms.

Front

What is the difference between atomic mass and atomic weight?

Back

Atomic mass is the mass of a single atom, while atomic weight is the average mass of an element's isotopes, weighted by their natural abundance.

Front

What is the role of neutrons in an atom?

Back

Neutrons help stabilize the nucleus of an atom by offsetting the repulsive forces between positively charged protons.

Front

What is a stable isotope?

Back

A stable isotope is an isotope that does not undergo radioactive decay and remains unchanged over time.

Front

What is a radioactive isotope?

Back

A radioactive isotope is an isotope that is unstable and decays over time, emitting radiation.