Which statement is true for isotopes of the same element?
$N_p = $ number of protons and $N_n = $ number of neutrons - OCR Gateway - GCSE Physics - Question 8 - 2019 - Paper 1
Question 8
Which statement is true for isotopes of the same element?
$N_p = $ number of protons and $N_n = $ number of neutrons.
A $N_p = N_n$
B $N_p$ is the same but $N_n$... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Which statement is true for isotopes of the same element?
$N_p = $ number of protons and $N_n = $ number of neutrons - OCR Gateway - GCSE Physics - Question 8 - 2019 - Paper 1
Step 1
A $N_p = N_n$
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Answer
This statement is incorrect because isotopes of the same element have the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons.
Step 2
B $N_p$ is the same but $N_n$ is different
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Answer
This statement is correct. Isotopes of the same element have the same number of protons (Np) but different numbers of neutrons (Nn), resulting in different atomic masses.
Step 3
C $N_p$ is always greater than $N_n$
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Answer
This is not accurate because the number of protons can be equal to or less than the number of neutrons depending on the isotope.
Step 4
D The total $(N_p + N_n)$ is always the same
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Answer
This statement is false. The total will vary depending on the isotope since the number of neutrons varies.
