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 atoms of the same element that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons, resulting in different mass numbers.

Front

How do you calculate the mass number of an atom?

Back

The mass number is calculated by adding the number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom.

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 charge does an atom have if it has more electrons than protons?

Back

The atom has a negative charge, making it an anion.

Front

What charge does an atom have if it has more protons than electrons?

Back

The atom has a positive charge, making it a cation.

Front

What is the relationship between protons and electrons in a neutral atom?

Back

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

Front

If an atom has 12 protons and 12 neutrons, what is its mass number?

Back

The mass number is 24 (12 protons + 12 neutrons).

Front

What is the significance of the number of neutrons in an isotope?

Back

The number of neutrons affects the mass of the isotope and can influence its stability.

Front

How many neutrons are in a Neon atom with a mass number of 20 and an atomic number of 10?

Back

There are 10 neutrons (20 mass number - 10 atomic number).