A particular isotope contains 79 protons and 118 neutrons. a) How many nucleons are there in the nucleus of this atom? b) What is the number of electrons?

Understand the Problem

The question is asking for calculations related to an isotope's atomic structure, specifically how many nucleons (protons + neutrons) are present and the number of electrons in a neutral atom of the isotope.

Answer

a) 197 b) 79

Steps to Solve

Calculate the total number of nucleons

To find the total number of nucleons in the nucleus of the atom, add the number of protons and neutrons together:

$$ \text{Number of nucleons} = \text{Number of protons} + \text{Number of neutrons} $$

Using the values given:

$$ \text{Number of nucleons} = 79 + 118 $$

Perform the addition

Now, calculate the sum of the nucleons:

$$ 79 + 118 = 197 $$

Determine the number of electrons

For a neutral atom, the number of electrons is equal to the number of protons. Thus:

$$ \text{Number of electrons} = \text{Number of protons} = 79 $$

a) The number of nucleons is 197.
b) The number of electrons is 79.

More Information

The total number of nucleons is the sum of protons and neutrons, which influences the atom's mass number. In a neutral atom, the number of electrons equals the number of protons, ensuring electrical neutrality.

Tips

Confusing nucleons with only protons or only neutrons; remember to sum both types for the total nucleon count.
Misunderstanding the relationship between protons and electrons; in a neutral atom, they must always be equal.

AI-generated content may contain errors. Please verify critical information

Thank you for voting!