Determine the number of protons and the number of neutrons in each isotope. d. ²⁰⁸₈₂Pb

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the atomic number (Z) and the mass number (A) from the isotope notation. For the isotope $^{208}_{82}\text{Pb}$, the atomic number Z is 82, and the mass number A is 208.
2. Recall that the atomic number (Z) represents the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom. Therefore, the number of protons in $^{208}_{82}\text{Pb}$ is 82.
3. Understand that the mass number (A) is the sum of protons and neutrons in the nucleus. The formula to find the number of neutrons (N) is given by N = A - Z.
4. Substitute the values of A and Z into the formula to find the number of neutrons: N = 208 - 82.
5. Calculate the result from the previous step to find the number of neutrons in the isotope $^{208}_{82}\text{Pb}$. This will give you the total number of 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 means they share the same atomic number but have different mass numbers. For example, lead (Pb) has several isotopes, including 208Pb, which has 82 protons and a varying number of neutrons.

Atomic Number and Mass Number

The atomic number of an element is the number of protons in its nucleus, which defines the element. The mass number is the total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus. For the isotope 208Pb, the atomic number is 82, indicating it has 82 protons, while the mass number of 208 indicates the total number of protons and neutrons combined.

Calculating Neutrons

To find the number of neutrons in an isotope, subtract the atomic number from the mass number. In the case of 208Pb, the number of neutrons can be calculated as 208 (mass number) - 82 (atomic number) = 126 neutrons. This calculation is essential for understanding the composition of isotopes.