Isotopes and Average Atomic Mass Flashcards
1
Q
What is an isotope?
A
The number of neutrons can vary from atom to atom within the same element, these variations are called isotopes
2
Q
Radioisotopes
A
- Isotopes that are radioactive
- They are unstable and will emit particles from the nucleus until a more stable atomic structure is achieved
3
Q
Isotopic Abundance
A
The relative amount in which each isotope is present
4
Q
Average Atomic Mass
A
The weighted average of the atomic masses of each of the isotopes of an element
5
Q
Mass Spectrometer
A
Device used to determine the atomic mass as well as the isotopic abundance of each isotope present in an element
6
Q
To find # of neutrons…
A
=mass number-atomic number
7
Q
To find the mass number…
A
= # of protons + # of neutrons
8
Q
The atomic number also means…
A
The number of protons in each element
9
Q
How many electrons are there in a neutral atom?
A
10
10
Q
What is chemical reactivity dictated by?
A
- By electrons not neutrons
- This means isotopes of the same element have almost identical chemical properties
