Nuclear Notation Worksheet PDF

1 Nuclear Notation Worksheet Nuclear Notation Worksheet CK12 Foundation Chemistry Name ________________________________ Date ______________ Background Each element has one or more atoms associated with it. Every atom of a particular element has the same number of protons. A par...

1 Nuclear Notation Worksheet Nuclear Notation Worksheet CK12 Foundation Chemistry Name ________________________________ Date ______________ Background Each element has one or more atoms associated with it. Every atom of a particular element has the same number of protons. A particular atom of an element does not have to have the same number of neutrons. A group of atoms of an element must all have the same number of protons but they may have several different numbers of neutrons. The atomic number of an atom indicates the number of protons in its nucleus and the mass number of an atom indicates the total number of protons and neutrons in its nucleus. Atoms with the same atomic number but a different mass number are called isotopes. Nuclear notation is a shorthand way of writing information about a particular atom. An example of the accepted form of nuclear notation is shown below. The large “X” represents the symbol for the element. The mass number is represented in the image by the letter “A” and is positioned as a superscript preceding the X. The atomic number is represented by the letter “Z” and is positioned as a subscript preceding the X. Here is an example of this notation using a carbon isotope that contains six protons and six neutrons in its nucleus. We see a carbon atom represented with an atomic number of 6, showing this atom, like all carbon atoms, has 6 protons in the nucleus. The mass number of 12 shows the nucleus contains a total of 12 protons and neutrons. Since we know the carbon atom has 6 protons, a subtraction of the atomic number from the mass number indicates the nucleus contains 6 neutrons. Another isotope of carbon is a carbon nucleus that contains 6 protons and 8 neutrons. The nuclear notation for this isotope of carbon appears below. 2 Nuclear Notation Worksheet In the nuclear notation for this isotope of carbon, the mass number is 2 greater because the nucleus contains 2 more neutrons and the same number of protons. Exercises 1. An atom contains 3 protons, 3 neutrons, and 3 electrons. What is its atomic number? 2. An atom contains 3 protons, 3 neutrons, and 3 electrons. What is its mass number? 3. Indicate the number of protons, neutrons, and the mass number for the following nuclear symbol.  Number of protons = _____  Number of neutrons = _____  Mass number = _____ 4. Indicate the number of protons, neutrons, and the mass number for the following nuclear symbol.  Number of protons = _____  Number of neutrons = _____  Mass number = _____ 3 Nuclear Notation Worksheet 5. Indicate the number of protons, neutrons, and the mass number for the following nuclear symbol.  Number of protons = _____  Number of neutrons = _____  Mass number = _____ 6. Indicate the number of protons, neutrons, and the mass number for the following nuclear symbol.  Number of protons = _____  Number of neutrons = _____  Mass number = _____ 7. Write the nuclear symbol for an isotope of neon whose nucleus contains 10 protons and 10 neutrons. 8. Write the nuclear symbol for an isotope of bromine whose nucleus contains 35 protons and 45 neutrons.