Write isotopic symbols in the form ^A_ZX for each isotope. b. the iron isotope with 30 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.

Isotopic Notation

Isotopic notation is a way to represent isotopes using the format AZX, where 'A' is the mass number (total protons and neutrons), 'Z' is the atomic number (number of protons), and 'X' is the chemical symbol of the element. For instance, for an isotope of iron with 30 neutrons, the mass number would be 56 (26 protons + 30 neutrons), leading to the notation 56Fe.

Iron Isotopes

Iron has several isotopes, with the most common being iron-56, which has 26 protons and 30 neutrons. The presence of different isotopes can affect the physical and chemical properties of the element, including its stability and behavior in nuclear reactions. Understanding the specific isotopes of iron is crucial in fields like nuclear chemistry and geology.