Atoms & 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 protons, neutrons, and electrons.

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What are protons?

Back

Protons are positively charged particles found in the nucleus of an atom. The number of protons determines the atomic number and identity of an element.

Front

What are neutrons?

Back

Neutrons are neutral particles found in the nucleus of an atom. They contribute to the atomic mass but do not affect the charge of the atom.

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What are electrons?

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Electrons are negatively charged particles that orbit the nucleus of an atom. They are involved in chemical bonding and reactions.

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 isotope?

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To find the number of neutrons, 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?

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

Front

What is the atomic number of an element?

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

Front

What is the symbol for Nitrogen-16?

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The symbol for Nitrogen-16 is ¹⁴N or N-16, indicating it has 7 protons and 9 neutrons.

Front

How many protons are in Carbon-13?

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Carbon-13 has 6 protons.