Consider the following atoms in which X represents the chemical symbol of the element: (4.4, 4.5) ¹⁶₈X ¹⁶₉X ¹⁸₁₀X ¹⁷₈X ¹⁸₈X a. What atoms have the same number of protons?

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the atomic number (subscript) for each atom, which represents the number of protons.
2. List the atomic numbers: 33, 34, 33, 35, 33.
3. Group the atoms with the same atomic number.
4. Atoms with atomic number 33 are: 75X, 78X, 77X.
5. Conclude that these atoms have the same number of protons.

Key Concepts

Atomic Number

The atomic number of an element is defined as the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom. It uniquely identifies an element and determines its position in the periodic table. In the context of isotopes, atoms with the same atomic number belong to the same element, regardless of their differing mass numbers.

Isotopes

Isotopes are variants of a particular chemical element that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons, resulting in different mass numbers. For example, the isotopes of element X in the question share the same atomic number but differ in their mass numbers, indicating variations in their neutron count.

Mass Number

The mass number of an atom is the total number of protons and neutrons in its nucleus. It is represented as a superscript to the left of the chemical symbol. In the provided question, the mass numbers of the isotopes of element X vary, which is crucial for distinguishing between the different isotopes while recognizing that they all have the same number of protons.