Changing the number of neutrons of an atom changes its:
A. Isotope
B. Element
C. Ion
D. Charge
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is: A. Isotope
Explanation:
Atoms are defined by the number of protons they have in their nucleus, which determines the element. For example, any atom with 6 protons is carbon, regardless of how many neutrons or electrons it has. Changing the number of protons would change the element itself.
Neutrons are neutral particles found in the nucleus alongside protons. When the number of neutrons in an atom changes, the atom becomes a different isotope of the same element. Isotopes of an element have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons. This difference in neutron number affects the atomic mass but does not change the chemical behavior significantly because chemical properties are mostly determined by the number of protons and electrons.
For example, carbon-12 and carbon-14 are isotopes of carbon. Both have 6 protons, but carbon-12 has 6 neutrons, while carbon-14 has 8 neutrons. Carbon-14 is radioactive and used in radiocarbon dating due to its unstable nucleus.
Changing the number of electrons can create ions, which are atoms with a net electric charge. If an atom loses or gains electrons, it becomes positively or negatively charged, respectively. The number of protons remains the same in ions, so the element does not change.
The charge of an atom refers to whether it is neutral or an ion and depends on the balance between protons and electrons. Neutrons have no electric charge, so changing their number does not directly affect the charge of the atom.
In summary, altering the number of neutrons changes the isotope of an element. The element itself remains the same because the number of protons does not change. This difference in neutron number results in isotopes that can have variations in stability and atomic mass but retain the chemical identity of the element.