16.9k views
3 votes
When an atom has more neutrons than it is supposed to have, this atom is now called an ion or isotope?

User Skary
by
3.6k points

1 Answer

7 votes

Answer: An atom that has more neutrons than it is supposed to have is called an isotope

Step-by-step explanation:

An isotope is a variant of a chemical element that has the same number of protons in its atomic nucleus as the element, but a different number of neutrons. This means that isotopes of a given element have the same atomic number, but a different atomic mass.

An ion, on the other hand, is an atom or molecule that has gained or lost one or more valence electrons, giving it a net positive or negative charge. Ions can be either atoms or molecules, and can be either monatomic (single atoms) or polyatomic (multiple atoms bonded together).

So, to summarize: isotopes are atoms that have a different number of neutrons than the standard isotope of that element, while ions are atoms or molecules that have gained or lost valence electrons and therefore have a net charge.

User Jsstuball
by
3.8k points