Give the nuclear symbol (isotope symbol) for the isotope of bromine, Br, that contains 46 neutrons per atom. Replace the question marks with the proper integers. nuclear symbol: $^{80}_{35}Br
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct nuclear symbol is:
₃₅⁸¹Br
Explanation:
To determine the nuclear (isotope) symbol of an element, we use the notation:
ₐᶻX
Where:
- X is the chemical symbol of the element (in this case, Br for bromine),
- Z is the atomic number (number of protons),
- A is the mass number (sum of protons and neutrons).
Step 1: Identify the atomic number of bromine (Br)
The atomic number Z of bromine is 35.
This means each atom of bromine has 35 protons.
Step 2: Use the given number of neutrons
We are told that this isotope of bromine has 46 neutrons.
Step 3: Calculate the mass number (A)
The mass number is the total number of protons and neutrons:A=number of protons (Z)+number of neutronsA = \text{number of protons (Z)} + \text{number of neutrons}A=number of protons (Z)+number of neutronsA=35+46=81A = 35 + 46 = 81A=35+46=81
Step 4: Write the nuclear symbol
Now that we know:
- Z = 35 (atomic number),
- A = 81 (mass number),
- X = Br (element symbol),
The isotope symbol is:
₃₅⁸¹Br
This notation is essential in nuclear chemistry and physics because it clearly shows both the identity of the element and the specific isotope. Isotopes of the same element have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons, resulting in different mass numbers. In this case, bromine can exist in several isotopic forms, and the isotope with 46 neutrons is designated as bromine-81.
