Isotope Notation

Front

What is isotope notation?

Back

Isotope notation is a way to represent isotopes of an element, showing the element's symbol, mass number (total number of protons and neutrons), and atomic number (number of protons). For example, Carbon-14 is represented as ¹⁴C.

Front

What does the mass number represent in isotope notation?

Back

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

Front

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

Back

To find the number of neutrons, subtract the atomic number (number of protons) from the mass number. Neutrons = Mass number - Atomic number.

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

If an atom has a charge of +3, how does this affect the number of electrons?

Back

A positive charge indicates that the atom has lost electrons. For example, if a neutral nickel atom has 28 electrons, a +3 charge means it has 25 electrons.

Front

What element has 42 protons?

Back

Molybdenum (Mo) has 42 protons.

Front

How many protons does phosphorus-30 (P-30) have?

Back

Phosphorus-30 has 15 protons.

Front

How many neutrons are in iron-56 (Fe-56)?

Back

Iron-56 has 30 neutrons (56 mass number - 26 atomic number = 30 neutrons).

Front

What is the significance of the element symbol in isotope notation?

Back

The element symbol represents the specific element and is used in conjunction with the mass number to identify the isotope.

Front

How many protons does lead-209 (Pb-209) have?

Back

Lead-209 has 82 protons.