Determine the number of protons and neutrons for sulfur-34. I need help!
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Correct Answer:
- Number of protons in sulfur-34: 16
- Number of neutrons in sulfur-34: 18
Explanation
Sulfur-34 is an isotope of the element sulfur. To determine the number of protons and neutrons in sulfur-34, we must first understand a few key concepts about atomic structure and isotopes.
Every atom consists of protons, neutrons, and electrons. The protons and neutrons are found in the nucleus at the center of the atom, while electrons orbit around the nucleus.
- Protons and the Atomic Number: The number of protons in an atom is defined by its atomic number, which is unique to each element. For sulfur, the atomic number is 16. This means all sulfur atoms have 16 protons. This number does not change, regardless of the isotope.
- Isotopes and Mass Number: An isotope is a version of an element that has the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons. The name “sulfur-34” refers to an isotope of sulfur with a mass number of 34. The mass number of an atom is the total number of protons and neutrons in its nucleus: Mass number=Number of protons+Number of neutrons\text{Mass number} = \text{Number of protons} + \text{Number of neutrons}Mass number=Number of protons+Number of neutrons
- Calculating Neutrons: Given sulfur-34: 34=16 (protons)+neutrons34 = 16\ (\text{protons}) + \text{neutrons}34=16 (protons)+neutrons Solving for neutrons: Neutrons=34−16=18\text{Neutrons} = 34 – 16 = 18Neutrons=34−16=18
So, sulfur-34 has:
- 16 protons (from the atomic number of sulfur),
- 18 neutrons (from subtracting protons from the mass number).
Understanding this helps in studying atomic structure, nuclear reactions, and the role of isotopes in science and medicine.
