Question

Given that oxygen-16 and oxygen-18 both have an atomic number of 8, how many electrons, protons, and neutrons do these oxygen atoms contain?

Question 7 options:

Any oxygen atom contains 8 electrons and 9 neutrons but these vary in the number of protons - 8 and 10 respectively.


These oxygen configurations contain the same number of subatomic particles - 8 electrons, 6 protons and 10 neutrons.


The oxygen isotopes contain 8 electrons but each contains a different number of neutrons and protons - 8 and 10 respectively.


Both oxygen isotopes contain 8 electrons and 8 protons but each contains a different number of neutrons - 8 and 10 respectively.

Answer 1

D

Step-by-step explanation:

both oxygen isotopes contain 8 electrons and 8 protons but each contains a different number of neutrons - 8 and 10 respectively.

Answer 2

All atoms of the same element must contain the same number of protons - the atomic number of the element. The number of electrons has no bearing on the mass of the atom, only the charge.
Therefore, a different number of neutrons can give atoms of the same element different masses - they are isotopes of the same element.

The fourth statement you have listed is correct: Both oxygen isotopes contain 8 electrons and 8 protons but each contains a different number of neutrons - 8 and 10 respectively.