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Ch.21 - Nuclear Chemistry
Chapter 21, Problem 9b

Indicate the number of protons and neutrons in the following nuclei: (b) 193Tl.

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1
Identify the element from the given symbol: Tl is the symbol for thallium.
Determine the atomic number of thallium from the periodic table, which is 81. This number represents the number of protons in the nucleus.
The given isotope is 193Tl, where 193 is the mass number (A).
Calculate the number of neutrons using the formula: Neutrons = Mass number (A) - Atomic number (Z).
Substitute the known values into the formula: Neutrons = 193 - 81.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Atomic Number

The atomic number of an element is the number of protons found in the nucleus of an atom. It uniquely identifies an element and determines its position on the periodic table. For example, thallium (Tl) has an atomic number of 81, meaning it has 81 protons.
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Atom Structure

Mass Number

The mass number of an atom is the total number of protons and neutrons in its nucleus. It is represented as a whole number and is crucial for identifying isotopes of an element. In the case of 193Tl, the mass number is 193, indicating the combined total of protons and neutrons.
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Neutrons

Neutrons are neutral subatomic particles found in the nucleus of an atom, alongside protons. The number of neutrons can be calculated by subtracting the atomic number from the mass number. For 193Tl, with 81 protons, the number of neutrons is 193 - 81 = 112.
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Neutron-to-Proton Plot