Write isotopic symbols in the form X-A (e.g., C-13) for each isotope. c. the uranium isotope with 146 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, carbon has isotopes like carbon-12 and carbon-14, where the numbers indicate the total number of protons and neutrons.

Nuclear Notation

Nuclear notation is a way of representing isotopes using the format X-A, where X is the chemical symbol of the element and A is the mass number (the sum of protons and neutrons). For instance, in the notation C-14, 'C' represents carbon, and '14' indicates that the isotope has a total of 14 nucleons (6 protons and 8 neutrons). This notation helps in identifying specific isotopes easily.

Uranium Isotopes

Uranium has several isotopes, the most notable being uranium-238 and uranium-235. The isotope mentioned in the question, with 146 neutrons, corresponds to uranium-382, as uranium has 92 protons. Understanding the relationship between protons, neutrons, and isotopes is crucial for accurately writing isotopic symbols and recognizing the properties of different uranium isotopes.