- An element is defined by the number of protons in the nucleus, which is its atomic number (Z). All atoms of a given element have the same number of protons. - The mass number (A) of an atom is the total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus (A = Z + N, where N is the number of neutrons). - Isotopes are atoms of the same element (same Z) but with different mass numbers (different A). - Since Z is the same for isotopes, a different mass number A must be due to a different number of neutrons N. - The number of electrons in a neutral atom is equal to the number of protons (Z). While ions of isotopes can have different numbers of electrons, the definition of isotopes refers to the atomic nucleus.
Isotopes are atoms of the same element with different number of
Asked in PPSC CS Prelims 2015 · Topic: Atomic Structure (Isotopes, Isobars, and Isotones)
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