Final answer:
No, a zinc atom with 34 neutrons has a single nucleus, not 34. For nitrogen, with an atomic number of seven, it likely has two electron shells. Additional information on uranium and xenon neutrons count is also provided.
Step-by-step explanation:
To answer the student's question: With a zinc atom with 34 neutrons, would you have 34 nuclei? The response is b) No. In this context, a nucleus refers to the central part of an atom where protons and neutrons are found. A zinc atom with 34 neutrons has a single nucleus, not 34. The number of nuclei refers to how many atoms there are, while the number of neutrons (or protons) is a characteristic of the nucleus of a single atom.
Regarding the nitrogen question, nitrogen has an atomic number of seven. The atomic number corresponds to the number of protons and also the number of electrons in a neutral atom. Using the electron configuration rules, nitrogen would have two electron shells, with two electrons in the first shell (1s2) and five electrons in the second shell (2s22p3). Therefore, the correct answer is b) two.
Other related Chemistry information:
- The element uranium with an atomic number of 92 and mass number of 235 would have 92 protons and 143 neutrons (235-92=143).
- Xenon with an atomic number of 54 and a mass number of 108 would incorrectly suggest 54 neutrons, the correct answer is 54 neutrons based on a typical mass number around 131 for xenon.