Write isotopic symbols in the form ^A_ZX for each isotope. a. the nickel isotope with 32 neutrons

Verified step by step guidance

1. Determine the atomic number (Z) of nickel from the periodic table, which is 28.
2. Calculate the mass number (A) by adding the number of protons (atomic number) and the number of neutrons: A = Z + number of neutrons.
3. For the nickel isotope with 32 neutrons, calculate A = 28 + 32.
4. Write the isotopic symbol in the form A/Z X, where X is the chemical symbol for nickel (Ni).
5. Combine the values to form the isotopic symbol: ^{A}_{Z}Ni.

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, nickel (Ni) has several isotopes, including Ni-58 and Ni-60, 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 nickel isotope with 32 neutrons, the mass number would be 58 (28 protons + 32 neutrons), leading to the notation 58Ni.

Atomic Structure

The atomic structure refers to the arrangement of protons, neutrons, and electrons in an atom. The atomic number defines the element and is equal to the number of protons, while the mass number is the sum of protons and neutrons. Understanding atomic structure is essential for determining isotopes and their properties, as it influences the behavior of elements in chemical reactions.