Question

What statement about isotopes is NOT correct?

A.isotopes are versions of the same element
B.all isotopes of the same element have the same number of protons
C.there are only two isotope versions of each element
D.isotopes vary by the number of neutrons in the nucleus

Answer 1

The statement that is NOT correct about isotopes is C. There are only two isotope versions of each element.

Step-by-step explanation:

Isotopes are different forms of the same element, having the same number of protons but differing in the number of neutrons in their nuclei. Option C is inaccurate because elements can have more than two isotopes. For example, carbon, a well-known element, has isotopes like Carbon-12, Carbon-13, and Carbon-14. These isotopes have the same number of protons (6) but different neutron counts (6, 7, and 8 respectively).

Option A is correct as isotopes are indeed versions of the same element, and Option B is incorrect because isotopes differ in the number of neutrons, even though they have the same number of protons. Understanding isotopes is crucial in fields such as chemistry and physics, contributing to various scientific applications and technologies.