Isotopes

Introduction to Atoms, Ions
and Isotopes
Mary Ann L. Navarra

Subject Teacher
What are atoms?
• The atom is a basic unit of
matter that consists of a
dense, central nucleus
surrounded by a cloud of
negatively charged electrons.
• While all atoms have protons,

neutrons and electrons,
atoms of different elements
have different numbers of
these.
Matter
Atoms
nucleus electron cloud
Neutrons protons = electrons (in a neutral

atom)
• The number of protons in an atom equals it’s atomic number

• Every atom has a unique atomic number
• Since electrons are easily gained or lost they determine the
overall charge of an atom
Atomic Structure
particle symbol location charge mass
proton p+ nucleus 1+ 1 amu
neutron no nucleus 0 1 amu

No charge
electron e- Electron 1- 1/1840 amu
cloud
Atoms
• Each element on the periodic table has
an atomic number, which tells how many
protons an atom of that element has.
• Each element also has an mass number.
• Mass number = # of Protons + # of Neutrons

Electrons
• Neutral atoms have the same number
of electrons (negative charge) as
they do protons (positive charge).
• # of electrons = atomic number
• ONLY IN NEUTRAL ATOMS

What is
Isotopes?
Example 1
Example 2
…and consequently in mass.
Isotopes
• Atoms with the same number of protons but
different numbers of neutrons
• Another way to say – atoms of the same
element with different numbers of neutrons
• An elements mass number is the number of
protons plus the number of neutrons
• REVIEW: to determine the number of
neutrons subtract the atomic number from the
mass number
• Mass # – atomic # = # of neutrons
Why are masses on the periodic
table usually expressed as decimal
numbers?
• masses on the table are weighted

averages of all known isotopes of
the element of interest
Keep in mind:
It is not possible to determine how many
different isotopes exist by looking at the
periodic table.
It is not possible to determine the
frequency of various nuclides by looking
at the periodic table.
Working with Atomic Notation
A
z X Chemical Symbol
Atomic Mass
(of Isotope)
Atomic Number
Example #1
12
6 C Chemical Symbol
Atomic Mass
(of Isotope)
Atomic Number
Example #2
13
6 C Chemical Symbol
Atomic Mass
(of Isotope)
Atomic Number
Example #3
14
6 C Chemical Symbol
Atomic Mass
(of Isotope)
Atomic Number
Some isotopes of carbon
12
6 C
13
6 C 6 C
14
10 47
Ne
Neon
Ag
Silver
20.1797 107.8682
3 11
Li
Lithium
Na
Sodium
6.941 22.98977
Various ways of identifying
Isotopes
• Using atomic notation,
Example: 126 C or simply 12 C
•Using the mass notation.

Example: Carbon-12 or C-12
(read “carbon twelve” or “C twelve”)
Some Isotopes of Carbon
mass atomic # of p+ # of e- # of no
notation notation
C-11 C
11
6 6
C-12 C
12
6 6
C-13 C
13
6 6
C-14 C
14
6 6
Another example of isotopes
1
H
1
2
1 H 3
1H
or
H-1 H-2 H-3

The Isotopes of Hydrogen
mass atomic # of p+ # of e- # of no
notation notation
Hydrogen-1 1
H 1 1
Hydrogen-2 2
H 1 1
Hydrogen-3 3
H 1 1
Figure #1 Figure #2 Figure #3
p+ = p+ = p+ =
no = no = no =
e- = e- = e- =
If the atom has a charge the charge is written
to the upper right side of the symbol. If the
charge is either negative or positive 1 the 1 is
not written but understood to be 1.
The following does not occur in nature!
1
1 H occurrence 33.3%
2
3
The following does occur in nature!
1
2
3
another way of looking at it:
Imagine having 10,000 H atoms

1H occurrence 9,998
1
2
1 H occurrence 1.56
3
1 H occurrence 0.44
That means the weighted average is:
1
1H 1 x 0.9998 = 0.9998
2
1H 2 x 0.00156 = 0.00312
3
1H 3 x 0.00004 = 0.00012
Weighted Average (0.9998 + 0.00312 + 0.00012)  1.01
Zn has 5 naturally occurring isotopes
64
30 Zn occurrence
66
30 Zn occurrence
67
30 Zn occurrence
68
30 Zn occurrence
70
30 Zn occurrence
64
30 Zn occurrence 49 %
66
30 Zn occurrence ~28 %
67
68
70
64
30 Zn 49 %
66
30 Zn ~28 %
67
30Zn ~4 % 65.39
68
30 Zn ~18 %
70
30 Zn ~1 %
(parenthesis) on the
Periodic Table indicate the
most stable isotope
stable means “longest living”
Parenthesis also suggest the element of
interest is radioactive.
Review problem #1
Represent the following using atomic notation.
92
U
Uranium
238.0289
Review problem #2
Represent the following using mass notation.
10
NeNeon
20.1797
Review problem #3
If the atom described below had 2 naturally occurring
isotopes, which of the 2 would have a greater
frequency of occurrence? Express your answer in
atomic and mass notation.
Li
Lithium
6.941
Review problem #4
How many total subatomic particles are in the following
“neutral” atoms of Fe-55 and Fe-57?

Isotopes

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Introduction to Atoms, Ions

Mary Ann L. Navarra

• While all atoms have protons,

nucleus electron cloud

Neutrons protons = electrons (in a neutral

• The number of protons in an atom equals it’s atomic number

neutron no nucleus 0 1 amu

electron e- Electron 1- 1/1840 amu

• Mass number = # of Protons + # of Neutrons

• # of electrons = atomic number

• ONLY IN NEUTRAL ATOMS

• masses on the table are weighted

•Using the mass notation.

H-1 H-2 H-3

Imagine having 10,000 H atoms

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