Atomic Structure and Nuclei Quiz

Atomic Number

• Represents the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom.
• Determines the element's identity in the periodic table (e.g., hydrogen has an atomic number of 1).
• Also indicates the number of electrons in a neutral atom.

Nuclear Binding Energy

• The energy required to assemble a nucleus from its constituent nucleons (protons and neutrons).
• A reflection of the strength of the forces holding the nucleus together.
• Typically expressed in megajoules per mole (MJ/mol) or in electronvolts (eV) for individual nucleons.

Mass Number

• Total count of protons and neutrons in an atom's nucleus.
• Often represented as "A" in nuclear notation (e.g., Carbon-12 has a mass number of 12).
• Does not account for electrons and differs from the atomic weight, which considers isotopic abundance.

Isotopes

• Variants of a particular chemical element that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons.
• Identified by their mass numbers (e.g., Carbon-12 and Carbon-14).
• Some isotopes are stable, while others are radioactive and decay over time, releasing radiation.

Test your knowledge of atomic structure and nuclei with this quiz. Questions cover topics such as atomic number, nuclear binding energy, mass number, and isotopes.