Question

Write the atomic symbols for isotopes with the following characteristics?

1)an oxygen atom with 10 neutrons
2)a neon atom with twelve neutrons
3)25 electrons and 28 neutrons
4)a mass number of 24 and 13 neutrons
5)a titanium atom with 25 neutrons

Answer 1

The symbols for the isotopes are going to take this general form...\[^{N+P}_{\ \ \ \ \ P}A^c\]Where...
N is the number of neutrons in the isotope
P is the number of protons in the element
A is the symbol for the element.
c is the net charge of the isotope

In other words, the superscript is the mass number of the isotope (P + N), while the subscript is the atomic number for the isotope (just P).

Keep in mind while doing this that elements of a specific type will always have the same number of protons (and electrons, assuming their net neutral). In other words, ALL oxygen atoms will have 8 protons and 8 electrons.

I think it's safe to assume that these 5 examples are all net neutral.

I'll set up a few of these, and you see if you can flesh them out.

1.) P is the number of protons in the element, oxygen.\[^{10+P}_{\ \ \ \ \ \ P}O\]
2.) P is the number of protons in the element, neon.\[^{12+P}_{\ \ \ \ \ \ P}Ne\]
3.) Since it has 25 electrons, and it's net neutral, it must have 25 protons. What element does this make it have to be? (Aa is where the symbol of the element should go)\[^{25+28}_{\ \ \ \ \ \ 25}Aa\]Try these first, and if you have trouble with them, we'll work through those first. If you are OK with them, then try to do the last two on your own (:.