Question

In what way are isotopes of a given element always different? In what way(s) are they always the same?

a) Always different: Isotopes have different numbers of neutrons.

b) Always the same: Isotopes have the same number of protons.

c) Always different: Isotopes have different chemical properties.

d) Always the same: Isotopes have the same mass number.

Answer 1

Isotopes are different forms of the same element that have the same number of protons, but a different number of neutrons. They have the same number of protons, but different mass numbers due to different numbers of neutrons.

Step-by-step explanation:

Isotopes are different forms of the same element that have the same number of protons, but a different number of neutrons. For example, carbon-12 (¹2C) and carbon-14 (¹4C) are isotopes of carbon. They have the same number of protons (6) but different numbers of neutrons (6 and 8, respectively).

This difference in neutron amount affects the mass number, which is the sum of the numbers of protons and neutrons. So, isotopes of a given element always have the same number of protons, but different mass numbers due to different numbers of neutrons.