Atoms/Ions/Isotopes

Front

What is an atom?

Back

An atom is the smallest unit of matter that retains the properties of an element. It consists of a nucleus made of protons and neutrons, surrounded by electrons.

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 calculate the number of neutrons in an atom?

Back

The number of neutrons can be calculated by subtracting the atomic number (number of protons) from the mass number (total number of protons and neutrons).

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 the mass number of an atom?

Back

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

Front

What is the charge of a proton?

Back

A proton has a positive charge of +1.

Front

What is the charge of an electron?

Back

An electron has a negative charge of -1.

Front

In a neutral atom, how do the number of protons compare to the number of electrons?

Back

In a neutral atom, the number of protons equals the number of electrons.

Front

What happens to an atom when it becomes a negative ion?

Back

When an atom becomes a negative ion, it gains one or more electrons, resulting in more electrons than protons.