Chemistry Help Topic

[mayastarr041]

The neutrons are there to balance it out. They don't have any charge, they're neutral, but they help stabilize the atom. Isotopes have different masses because they have different numbers of neutrons. Some isotopes are less stable than others.

The - and + signs for valence electrons are for the whole atom, that's why. If it gains an electron, there are more electrons than protons, and so it's negatively charged, giving the - sign. If it loses one, there are more protons, making it positive.

Ahh that kind you. But can you explain a bit more of isotopes?

[mayastarr041]

That way with words though...

Looked it up on Google, apparently, it's grade 9-12, so all four of those grades! High school, and a bit of Junior High! 

Thank you! And wow, chemistry is for all of high school.  Didn't know that.

[mayastarr041]

protons can't be gained or lost, they're part of the nucleus

Then electrons and neutrons can be gained or lost? Aren't they part of the nucleus also?

[blueflower999]

Isotopes are the same atoms with different number of neutrons. Hydrogen, for instance, usually has no neutrons. However, deuterium is an isotope of Hydrogen that has one neutron (so its mass is two), and tritium has two neutrons (so its mass is three). Usually isotopes are radioactive, or at least less stable than the regular element.

Also, if you look at the periodic table, you'll notice that Hydrogen, for instance, has an atomic weight of something like 1.001 AMU. It might be less than that, but you get the idea. (I make these posts mostly from memory lol) But why is that? Hydrogen has one proton, so shouldn't its mass just be 1?

Nope! Hydrogen is almost always just one proton, but very trace amounts of deuterium (and maybe even tritium, I'm not sure) exist in nature. The atomic weight given on the table is the average of the weights of all isotopes of an element based on how common they are. For instance, if you have a tank of Hydrogen, almost all of it has no neutrons. However, every so often, you'll find an atom of deuterium that has a mass of two. If you average all their masses together, you get something like 1.001. Does that make sense?

[ThatGamer]

Thank you! And wow, chemistry is for all of high school.  Didn't know that.

I did not know either, good to know!

[mikey]

The basic structure of an atom is a nucleus comprised of a number of protons and neutrons with a number of electrons orbiting around the nucleus in a random way.

[mayastarr041]

Isotopes are the same atoms with different number of neutrons. Hydrogen, for instance, usually has no neutrons. However, deuterium is an isotope of Hydrogen that has one neutron (so its mass is two), and tritium has two neutrons (so its mass is three). Usually isotopes are radioactive, or at least less stable than the regular element.

Also, if you look at the periodic table, you'll notice that Hydrogen, for instance, has an atomic weight of something like 1.001 AMU. It might be less than that, but you get the idea. (I make these posts mostly from memory lol) But why is that? Hydrogen has one proton, so shouldn't its mass just be 1?

Nope! Hydrogen is almost always just one proton, but very trace amounts of deuterium (and maybe even tritium, I'm not sure) exist in nature. The atomic weight given on the table is the average of the weights of all isotopes of an element based on how common they are. For instance, if you have a tank of Hydrogen, almost all of it has no neutrons. However, every so often, you'll find an atom of deuterium that has a mass of two. If you average all their masses together, you get something like 1.001. Does that make sense?

You said different number of neutrons. What about different numbers of protons and electrons?
Other than that, you explained well, thank you!

[mayastarr041]

I did not know either, good to know!

Perfect!

[Latios212]

The basic structure of an atom is a nucleus comprised of a number of protons and neutrons with a number of electrons orbiting around the nucleus in a random way.

Not exactly a random way... don't get me started on orbitals and molecular geometry :3

[mayastarr041]

The basic structure of an atom is a nucleus comprised of a number of protons and neutrons with a number of electrons orbiting around the nucleus in a random way.

So it's IMPOSSIBLE TO seperate protons and neutrons? And if you did, for example on an oxygen molecule, would it simply not be oxygen anymore?

[mayastarr041]

Not exactly a random way... don't get me started on orbitals and molecular geometry :3

Why not Latios? Are you strong on the subject?

[blueflower999]

You said different number of neutrons. What about different numbers of protons and electrons?
Other than that, you explained well, thank you!

If there are different numbers of protons, it's a different element entirely. If there are different numbers of electrons, it's a different element if the number of electrons matches the number of protons. If the two numbers are different, then it's an ion. (Like when Sodium gives away an electron to Chlorine)

[Latios212]

Idk I thought it was really cool but that was a couple years ago and I hope I didn't forget it already lol.

Oh nah, I just don't really have the time to think about it right now xD

[mayastarr041]

Idk I thought it was really cool but that was a couple years ago and I hope I didn't forget it already lol.

Oh nah, I just don't really have the time to think about it right now xD

Ah, I see. I understand. You must be really busy considering you're a mod

[Hero of Trains]

If there was a different number of protons, it would be a different element, because it would have a different atomic number. If they're different, it has a charge and is an ion. And it's not impossible to separate protons and neutrons, that's what happens in a nuclear fission reactor, where they split atoms to create energy. But you're right, if you got rid of protons, it would not be an oxygen atom anymore.

Ninja'd by Blue