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Ch.2 - Atoms, Molecules, and Ions

Chapter 2, Problem 31a

Write the correct symbol, with both superscript and subscript, for each of the following. Use the list of elements in the front inside cover as needed: (a) the isotope of platinum that contains 118 neutrons

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Video transcript

Hey everyone in this example, we need to give the correct symbol for the isotope of tantalum with neutrons. So we want to go ahead and recall that to find tantalum on our periodic tables. We want to look for the symbol T. A. Which we recognize corresponds to the atomic number represented by our symbols E. Equal to 73. And we would recall that in a neutral atom, We would have our number of protons. Or sorry, our atomic number equal to our number of protons. So we would say that we have also 73 protons because the prompt does not mention that our isotope has a charge. So we're going to assume we have a neutral atom of tantalum. We want to recall that for our chemical symbol. We have our element represented by an ex. Actually we have our atomic number represented by Z as I stated earlier. And then we have our mass number located here represented by the symbol A. So this is our mass number and this here is our atomic number. We want to recall that our mass number is found By taking our number of protons and adding that to our number of neutrons. And so according to the prompt, we have 108 neutrons which we will add to our neutral isotope which has 73 protons. To get our mass number equal to 181. And so to write are correct chemical symbol for the isotope tantalum. We're going to have T.A.. We're going to have 181 in place of our atomic mass, or mass number, and then we're going to have our atomic number here Of 73 below. And this is going to complete our correct chemical symbol for the isotope tantalum with 108 neutrons. So this is our final answer. If you have any questions, please leave them down below, and I will see everyone in the next practice video.