Write the isotope notation and word form for the isotope of neon that has an atomic mass of 22.
The correct answer and explanation is:
Correct Answer:
Isotope notation: ²²Ne
Word form: Neon-22
Explanation:
An isotope is a form of an element that has the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons. All atoms of a particular element have the same atomic number, which represents the number of protons. Neon (Ne) has an atomic number of 10, meaning every atom of neon contains 10 protons. However, isotopes differ in mass number, which is the total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus.
The given isotope of neon has a mass number of 22. Since neon always has 10 protons, the number of neutrons is 22 – 10 = 12. This specific isotope of neon contains 10 protons and 12 neutrons.
The isotope notation is written as the chemical symbol of the element with the mass number as a superscript on the upper left. For neon-22, this is written as ²²Ne. The atomic number (10) is often omitted because it is always the same for neon and can be inferred from the symbol.
In word form, isotopes are named by writing the name of the element followed by a hyphen and the mass number. Therefore, this isotope is called Neon-22.
Neon has several stable isotopes, the most common being Neon-20, Neon-21, and Neon-22. Neon-22 makes up approximately 9 percent of naturally occurring neon. It is a stable, non-radioactive isotope and is used in studies involving gas flow and atomic behavior because its different mass affects physical properties slightly compared to Neon-20.
Understanding isotope notation and word form is essential in nuclear chemistry, physics, and various fields of science, where different isotopes have specific roles or behaviors despite being the same element chemically.