Table of contents

1. Matter and Measurements4h 29m
2. Atoms and the Periodic Table5h 23m
3. Ionic Compounds2h 18m
4. Molecular Compounds2h 18m
5. Classification & Balancing of Chemical Reactions3h 17m
6. Chemical Reactions & Quantities2h 35m
7. Energy, Rate and Equilibrium3h 46m
8. Gases, Liquids and Solids3h 25m
9. Solutions4h 10m
10. Acids and Bases3h 29m
11. Nuclear Chemistry56m
BONUS: Lab Techniques and Procedures1h 38m
BONUS: Mathematical Operations and Functions47m
12. Introduction to Organic Chemistry1h 34m
13. Alkenes, Alkynes, and Aromatic Compounds2h 12m
14. Compounds with Oxygen or Sulfur1h 6m
15. Aldehydes and Ketones1h 1m
16. Carboxylic Acids and Their Derivatives1h 11m
17. Amines38m
18. Amino Acids and Proteins1h 51m
19. Enzymes1h 37m
20. Carbohydrates1h 46m
21. The Generation of Biochemical Energy2h 8m
22. Carbohydrate Metabolism2h 22m
23. Lipids2h 26m
24. Lipid Metabolism1h 45m
25. Protein and Amino Acid Metabolism1h 37m
26. Nucleic Acids and Protein Synthesis2h 54m

2. Atoms and the Periodic Table

Isotopes

GOB Chemistry

2. Atoms and the Periodic Table

Isotopes

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2:03 minutes

Problem 37aTimberlake - 13th Edition

Textbook Question

Argon has three naturally occurring isotopes, with mass numbers 36, 38, and 40. c. How are they different?

Verified step by step guidance

insert step 1> Identify that isotopes are atoms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons.

insert step 2> Recognize that all isotopes of argon have the same number of protons, which is 18, as this defines the element argon.

insert step 3> Calculate the number of neutrons in each isotope by subtracting the number of protons from the mass number: for Argon-36, Argon-38, and Argon-40.

insert step 4> Note that Argon-36 has 18 neutrons, Argon-38 has 20 neutrons, and Argon-40 has 22 neutrons.

insert step 5> Conclude that the difference between these isotopes lies in the number of neutrons, which affects their mass numbers.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

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 mass numbers, which can affect the stability and nuclear properties of the isotopes. For example, argon has three isotopes: argon-36, argon-38, and argon-40, each differing in their neutron count.

Mass Number

The mass number of an isotope is the total count of protons and neutrons in its nucleus. It is a crucial identifier for isotopes, as it distinguishes them from one another. In the case of argon, the mass numbers 36, 38, and 40 indicate the total number of nucleons in each isotope, influencing their physical and chemical properties.

Stability of Isotopes

The stability of isotopes refers to their tendency to remain unchanged over time. Some isotopes are stable, while others are radioactive and decay over time. For argon, isotopes like argon-40 are stable, while others may have varying degrees of stability, affecting their abundance and applications in fields such as geology and radiometric dating.