Ions & Isotopes

Front

What is an ion?

Back

An ion is an atom or molecule that has gained or lost one or more electrons, resulting in a net electrical charge.

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, resulting in different mass numbers.

Front

How do you determine the number of electrons in an ion?

Back

To find the number of electrons in an ion, subtract the charge of the ion from the atomic number. For example, a -2 charge means 2 more electrons than protons.

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 difference between a positive ion and a negative ion?

Back

A positive ion (cation) has lost electrons, resulting in a positive charge, while a negative ion (anion) has gained electrons, resulting in a negative charge.

Front

What do isotopes of the same element have in common?

Back

Isotopes of the same element have the same number of protons (atomic number) but different numbers of neutrons.

Front

What is the charge of an atom with 16 protons and 18 electrons?

Back

The charge of the atom would be -2, as it has more electrons than protons.

Front

If two atoms have the same atomic number but different mass numbers, what are they?

Back

They are isotopes of the same element.

Front

What is a neutral atom?

Back

A neutral atom has an equal number of protons and electrons, resulting in no overall charge.