Write isotopic symbols in the form ^A_ZX for each isotope. b. the copper isotope with 36 neutrons

Key Concepts

Isotopes

Isotopes are variants of a particular chemical element that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons. This difference in neutron count results in varying atomic masses for the isotopes of the same element. For example, copper has several isotopes, including Cu-63 and Cu-65, which differ in their neutron numbers.

Isotopic Notation

Isotopic notation is a way to represent isotopes using the format AZX, where 'A' is the mass number (total number of protons and neutrons), 'Z' is the atomic number (number of protons), and 'X' is the chemical symbol of the element. For instance, for a copper isotope with 36 neutrons, the mass number would be 63 (29 protons + 36 neutrons), leading to the notation 63Cu.

Atomic Structure

The atomic structure refers to the arrangement of protons, neutrons, and electrons within an atom. Protons and neutrons reside in the nucleus, while electrons orbit around it. Understanding atomic structure is crucial for identifying isotopes, as it helps in determining the number of protons and neutrons, which are essential for writing isotopic symbols correctly.