Indicate the number of protons and neutrons in the following nuclei: (c) neptunium-237.

Key Concepts

Atomic Structure

Atoms consist of protons, neutrons, and electrons. Protons are positively charged particles found in the nucleus, while neutrons are neutral particles that also reside in the nucleus. The number of protons defines the element, while the total number of protons and neutrons gives the atomic mass.

Isotopes

Isotopes are variants of a particular chemical element that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons. For example, neptunium-237 has 93 protons (as it is neptunium) and 144 neutrons, distinguishing it from other isotopes of neptunium, which may have different neutron counts.

Nuclear Notation

Nuclear notation is a shorthand representation of an isotope, typically written as 'Element-Mass Number'. For neptunium-237, the notation indicates that the element is neptunium (Np) with a mass number of 237, which is the sum of its protons and neutrons, allowing for easy identification of its nuclear composition.