Final answer:
For the isotope calcium-41, there are 20 protons, 21 neutrons, and 20 electrons. The atomic number of calcium (20) determines the number of protons and electrons, and the mass number (41) minus the atomic number gives the number of neutrons.
Step-by-step explanation:
Determining the Number of Protons, Neutrons, and Electrons in Calcium-41
To determine the number of protons, neutrons, and electrons for the isotope calcium-41, we must understand the concept of isotopes. Isotopes are different forms of the same element that have the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons. The atomic number of calcium is 20, which tells us that there are 20 protons in calcium. Since the isotope given is calcium-41, the mass number for this isotope is 41. The mass number is the sum of protons and neutrons in the nucleus.
Protons: The number of protons in an atom defines the atomic number, which for calcium is 20.
Neutrons: To find the number of neutrons in calcium-41, we subtract the atomic number from the mass number:
number of neutrons = 41 - 20 = 21.
Electrons: In a neutral atom, the number of electrons is equal to the number of protons, which in the case of calcium-41, is 20.
Therefore, for the isotope calcium-41:
- Protons = 20
- Neutrons = 21
- Electrons = 20