Ions and Isotopes

Front

What is an ion?

Back

An ion is an atom or molecule that has a net electrical charge due to the loss or gain of one or more electrons.

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.

Front

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

Back

Subtract the atomic number (number of protons) from the mass number (total number of protons and neutrons).

Front

What is the mass number of an atom?

Back

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

Front

What happens to an atom when it loses an electron?

Back

It becomes a positive ion (cation) because it has more protons than electrons.

Front

What are valence electrons?

Back

Valence electrons are the electrons in the outermost shell of an atom that are involved in forming bonds.

Front

How many protons does Carbon-14 have?

Back

Carbon-14 has 6 protons.

Front

What is the charge of a negative ion?

Back

A negative ion (anion) has a net negative charge due to the gain of one or more electrons.

Front

What is the significance of isotopes in medicine?

Back

Isotopes are used in medical imaging and treatment, such as radioactive isotopes in cancer therapy.

Front

What is the difference between Li-6 and Li-7?

Back

Li-6 has 3 protons and 3 neutrons, while Li-7 has 3 protons and 4 neutrons.