Atoms and 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 a nucleus containing protons and neutrons, surrounded by electrons.

Front

What are isotopes?

Back

Isotopes are variants of a particular chemical element that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons, resulting in different atomic masses.

Front

How many protons does an atom of Beryllium have?

Back

An atom of Beryllium has 4 protons.

Front

What is the charge of a proton?

Back

A proton has a positive charge (+1).

Front

What is the charge of a neutron?

Back

A neutron has no charge (neutral).

Front

What is the charge of an electron?

Back

An electron has a negative charge (-1).

Front

How do you determine the atomic number of an element?

Back

The atomic number of an element is determined by the number of protons in its nucleus.

Front

What is the most common isotope of Carbon?

Back

The most common isotope of Carbon is Carbon-12.

Front

How many neutrons are in Beryllium-12?

Back

Beryllium-12 has 8 neutrons (12 total nucleons - 4 protons = 8 neutrons).

Front

What is the mass number of an atom?

Back

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