Isotopes & Ions

Front

What is an isotope?

Back

An isotope is a variant of a chemical element that has the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons, resulting in a different atomic mass.

Front

What happens to the charge of an atom when it loses an electron?

Back

The atom becomes positively charged (cation) because it has more protons than electrons.

Front

What is a cation?

Back

A cation is a positively charged ion that forms when an atom loses one or more electrons.

Front

What is an anion?

Back

An anion is a negatively charged ion that forms when an atom gains one or more electrons.

Front

How do positive ions form?

Back

Positive ions form when atoms lose valence electrons.

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 difference between an isotope and a normal atom?

Back

An isotope has a different number of neutrons compared to a normal atom of the same element, which has the expected number of neutrons.

Front

If an atom has 6 protons and 6 neutrons, what is its atomic mass?

Back

The atomic mass is approximately 12 (6 protons + 6 neutrons).

Front

What is the expected atomic mass of an atom with 7 protons and 8 neutrons?

Back

The expected atomic mass is 15 (7 protons + 8 neutrons).

Front

What charge does a calcium ion with atomic number 20 have if it loses 2 electrons?

Back

The calcium ion has a +2 charge (cation) after losing 2 electrons.