What is the difference between an element and an isotope?
An isotope is an element with a different number of neutrons.
An isotope is an element with a different number of electrons.
An isotope is an element with a different number of protons.
The correct answer is:
An isotope is an element with a different number of neutrons.
An isotope is an element with a different number of neutrons.
Isotopes are variants of an element that have the same number of protons (and hence the same atomic number) but differ in the number of neutrons. This means that isotopes of the same element have different atomic masses. For example, carbon-12, carbon-13, and carbon-14 are three isotopes of the element carbon, with 6, 7, and 8 neutrons, respectively.
The correct answer is: An isotope is an element with a different number of neutrons.
To understand the difference between an element and an isotope, we need to define what each term means:
- Element: An element is a pure substance made up of atoms that have the same number of protons. Elements are represented by their atomic number, which is the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom.
- Isotope: Isotopes are variations of an element that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons in their nuclei. Isotopes of an element have different mass numbers, which represent the sum of protons and neutrons in an atom's nucleus.
Now, to determine the difference between an element and an isotope, we need to compare the role of neutrons, electrons, and protons:
- Neutrons: Neutrons are subatomic particles found in the nucleus of an atom. They have no charge and contribute to the atomic mass of an atom. Isotopes differ in the number of neutrons they have.
- Electrons: Electrons are negatively charged particles that orbit the nucleus of an atom. The number of electrons determines the atom's chemical properties, but it is not the defining factor for distinguishing an element or an isotope.
- Protons: Protons are positively charged particles found in the nucleus of an atom. The number of protons determines the element's identity and atomic number.
Based on this information, we can conclude that the correct answer is: "An isotope is an element with a different number of neutrons." Isotopes have the same number of protons and electrons as their corresponding element but may vary in the number of neutrons.