Question

Pleas help me!

Which of the following must be the same in atoms of the same element? (Ex: all atoms of silver)

Question 1 options:

number of neutrons

atomic number

charge

number of protons

number of electrons

atomic mass

Question 2 -
I analyze one atom of carbon in a rock and then one atom of carbon from one of my skin cells. Explain the differences I might see in these two carbon atoms.

Answer 1

Atomic number and protons

The possible difference may be in number of neutrons.

Step-by-step explanation:

1) The elements are characterized by their atomic number.

The atomic number is the number of protons in an atom of an element.

So atoms of same elements will have same number of protons.

The number of neutrons may vary in atoms of same element if they are different isotopes.

Electron number in neutral atoms will be same, however in case of gain or loss of electrons the number may change.

So the atomic number and protons must be same.

2) Isotopes are substances which have same atomic number but different mass number (due to difference in number of neutrons).

So there is possibility that if we are taking atom of carbon from a rock and from skin cell, they are isotopes.

The following are the common natural isotopes of carbon

`C^(12)_(6)andC^(14)_(6)`

Answer 2

Step-by-step explanation:

Question 1:

atomic number/number of protons

All atoms of the same element share the same number of protons or atomic numbers. In grouping elements on the periodic table, the periodic law is often used. The modern periodic law states that "properties of elements are a periodic function of their atomic number". The atomic number of an element distinguish it from others.

Question 2:

The two carbon atoms would be quite different as they are isotopes. Isotopy is the existence of two or more atoms of the same element having the same atomic number but different mass numbers due to the differences in the number of neutrons in their various nuclei.

Naturally, carbon exists in two isotopic forms:

¹³₆C and ¹⁴₆C

One might see these different samples in a rock and in the skin cells. They are simply isotopes. Isotopes have the same electronic configuration and hence similar chemical properties. Only their masses differ.