Concept explainers
Interpretation:
The difference in mass number and
Concept Introduction:
Atoms are made up of even smaller particles. These particles are very small and these are all the building blocks of atoms and they are known as subatomic particles. Protons, electrons, and neutrons are the subatomic particles that are found in atom. Electrons possess a negative electrical charge. Protons possess a positive electrical charge. Neutrons possess no charge and they are neutral.
An atom is said to be neutral as the number of protons and electrons are same. The presence of more number of neutrons also does not affect the charge neutrality. If the atoms of same element differ in the number of neutrons then they are known as isotopes. Isotopes have same number of protons and electrons but they differ in the number of neutrons present in them. As the numbers of electrons are same, their chemical properties are same. Their physical properties are different as they have different masses.
In other words it can be said that isotopes of the same element have same atomic number but differ in their mass numbers.
Want to see the full answer?
Check out a sample textbook solutionChapter 3 Solutions
GENERAL,ORGANIC,+BIO.CHEM.-MINDTAP
- ChemistryChemistryISBN:9781305957404Author:Steven S. Zumdahl, Susan A. Zumdahl, Donald J. DeCostePublisher:Cengage LearningChemistryChemistryISBN:9781259911156Author:Raymond Chang Dr., Jason Overby ProfessorPublisher:McGraw-Hill EducationPrinciples of Instrumental AnalysisChemistryISBN:9781305577213Author:Douglas A. Skoog, F. James Holler, Stanley R. CrouchPublisher:Cengage Learning
- Organic ChemistryChemistryISBN:9780078021558Author:Janice Gorzynski Smith Dr.Publisher:McGraw-Hill EducationChemistry: Principles and ReactionsChemistryISBN:9781305079373Author:William L. Masterton, Cecile N. HurleyPublisher:Cengage LearningElementary Principles of Chemical Processes, Bind...ChemistryISBN:9781118431221Author:Richard M. Felder, Ronald W. Rousseau, Lisa G. BullardPublisher:WILEY